U-turn on smokefree city target
Auckland Council’s decision to delay meeting ambitious smokefree targets has been slammed by councillors and opposition groups.
Council’s Smokefree Policy 2017 to 2025 was presented to the environment and community committee on Wednesday.
In the original Smokefree Policy of 2013, Auckland Council had committed to putting measures in place to make beaches, urban centres and al fresco dining areas smokefree by May 2018.
But, in the updated policy, Auckland Council backed out of that commitment and said the areas would only become smokefree between 2019 and 2025.
The new policy was labelled ‘‘weak’’ and ‘‘back-peddling’’ by representatives from the Cancer Society Auckland and Northland, the Auckland Regional Public Health Service, Hapai te Hauora, Vape to Save and Pacific Smokefree.
Councillors Chris Darby, Richard Hills and Cathy Casey also criticised the policy.
Auckland Regional Public Health Service spokesperson Hayley Pritchard said the new policy showed a dramatic change in Auckland Council’s commitment to smokefree public spaces.
‘‘We believe the policy has been weakened rather than strengthened and we find that concerning,’’ Pritchard said.
Cancer Society Auckland and Northland chief executive John Loof said in the last 12 months about 1700 Aucklanders had died from smoking related diseases and more than 1000 teenagers had taken up the habit, he said.
Smoking rates across the Tasman were about 25 per cent lower than New Zealand because Australia had better local and central government smokefree policy, he said.
Hapai te Hauora general manager Tania Schipper said if Auckland Council adopted the new ’’weak policy’’ Maori and Pacific populations would not be smokefree until 2065.
Councillor Chris Darby said Auckland Council had also failed to make shared spaces, civic squares and plazas smokefree, which was called ‘‘phase two’’ and was meant to roll out in May 2015.
For a policy to be effectively implemented, there needed to be public awareness, he said.
‘‘I do not recall any PR that went out from our organisation in May 2015,’’ Darby said.
A revised policy will be provided in October.