Council stubs out smokefree bylaw

Auckland Council has stopped short of making smoking in public places illegal.

Council staff voted against adopting a smokefree bylaw at the regulatory committee meeting on Thursday.

If the council had voted in favour of adopting a bylaw, it would be able to prosecute smokers flouting the law with fines of up to $20,000.

Instead they voted in favour of continuing with the recently adopted smokefree policy and implementation plan, which discourages smoking in public places but does not make it illegal.

A council spokesman said the council was still committed to promote all of its public areas as smokefree.

‘‘This will make a real contribution towards making New Zealand smokefree by 2025.’’

The policy and plan was created to normalise smokefree environments throughout Auckland.

Staff voted in favour of the option as it was the most appropriate approach to managing the health risk of second-hand smoke in public places.

The option also included sufficient tools such as licenses and approvals for the council to achieve compliance with smokefree conditions in places such as outdoor dining places which are considered medium risk.

In August 2016 the council requested an investigation to see whether a bylaw could complement the current smokefree policy.

Smoking at beaches, al fresco dining place and urban centres was banned in October as part of the council’s strengthened smokefree policy.

Since 2013 smoking has been banned from a range of public places including playgrounds, skateparks, parks, plazas and civic squares. Council-owned facilities including train stations and bus shelters are also smokefree.

The Cancer Society and the Auckland Regional Public Health Service (ARPHS) presented at the meeting and were all in favour of adopting a bylaw.

ARPHS health improvement manager Dean Adam said it was disappointed with the outcome.

‘‘A bylaw would provide an extra level to help council stop smoking in public places outlined in the policy,’’ Adam said.

The council’s new policy is a further step towards being smokefree by 2025.