Smoking to be banned for all outdoor dining
Smoking in all commercial outdoor dining areas will be banned from August 1.
The Tobacco Act amendments mean from August 1, smoking will be banned in outdoor areas at hospitality and food venues used for eating food.
This includes footpath dining areas, courtyards and beer gardens during times food is being eaten, or is available to be eaten.
The tobacco reform also bans smoking outdoors at food fairs and festival events where the principal activity is the supply of food, while restricting smoking within 10 metres of a food stall or food vendor at organised outdoor events other than a food fair.
Baw Baw Shire mayor Joe Gauci said the reform would affect outdoor dining for local businesses and residents.
“As a council we have a duty to protect the health of our residents, visitors and business operators, together with supporting the Victorian Government’s tobacco reform to increase outdoor smoking bans.
“The new bans will provide our community with more smoke-free environments when dining out at local townships and events, which is a real win on a local level.
“In addition, the new bans will help limit exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke, denormalise smoking behaviours and support people who have quit or are trying to quit smoking,” he said.
Cr Gauci said council had trialled smoke-free areas across the shire in recent years which received strong community support.
A 12 month trial of smoke free outdoor areas in the Baw Baw Shire was undertaken in August 2011.
The trial was extended and still continues while council's local laws department reviews the findings.
Council’s smoke free areas policy prohibits smoking within 10 metres of council owned, operated and leased buildings including customer service centres, the arts centre and libraries.
The trial also prohibits smoking in the following areas:
Within 10 metres of all children's playground equipment and kindergartens; events run by council on council land; alfresco dining areas on council land; within covered bus stops on council land; taxi ranks on council land; within 10 metres of entrances to club rooms and canteens at sporting facilities; on playing fields and within three metres of playing field boundaries at sporting facilities; and, within 10 metres of the Baw Baw mobile library when parked and in operation.
Under council’s trial policy, smoking also is banned in shopping malls and pedestrian areas in central activity district areas of Warragul, Yarragon, Drouin, Trafalgar and Neerim South.
Council officers can issue fines to people not complying with the regulations.
Cr Gauci said council and state government environmental health officers would visit businesses affected by the tobacco legislation reforms providing information packs and signage to assist business owners with the transition.
Businesses and residents that will be affected by the tobacco reform can download information guides, signage, fact sheets and additional information resources at the Department of Health and Human Services website or call the Tobacco Information Line on 1300 136 775.