Australia's peak body for public health has awarded The Honourable Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Ageing and Minister for Disability a prestigious award today, recognising his contribution to driving down smoking rates and helping protect young Australians from nicotine addiction.
The Public Health Association of Australia's President's Award is awarded to individuals who have made a significant contribution to protect and advance public health.
In announcing the award at the annual Australian Public Health Conference in Geelong, Professor Caroline Miller, President, Public Health Association of Australia, and internationally recognised tobacco control expert, noted Australia's progress in tobacco control and Minister's Butler's leadership and commitment to prioritising health while facing intense tobacco industry lobbying.
"Minister Butler led the work, alongside the states and territories, to tighten vaping regulation to protect young people and deserves praise and recognition. We are already seeing the positive impact of these policies, with current usage among Australians 18-24 dropping significantly, from 21% in 2022-23 to 14% in 2025," said Professor Miller
"It's also timely for us to recognise the remarkable success of Australia's tobacco control policy over many years. This is powerfully illustrated by the recently released Australian Institute of Health and Welfare smoking data.
"AIHW is the long-standing, gold standard way we track Australia's smoking rates, and the most recent data shows that daily smoking rates are now at record lows - 5.6%. Perhaps most significantly, the smoking rates in Australia's most disadvantaged communities fell from 18% in 2019 to 11% in 2025.
"Minister Butler should be commended for his leadership on tobacco control throughout his political career, especially since becoming Minister for Health in 2022."
Professor Miller added that Minister Butler and the Albanese Government was currently facing an unprecedented campaign by the multi-national tobacco industry.
"The tobacco industry are aggressively lobbying for a multi-billion dollar tax cut, which would result in fewer smokers quitting and more children and young people taking up smoking. And that would inevitably mean thousands more tobacco caused deaths.
"Minister Butler has held firm on comprehensive and evidence-based tobacco control policy, which will continue to prevent tens of thousands of tobacco related deaths and disease.
"I am proud to grant this award on behalf of the Public Health Association of Australia to Minister Butler," concluded Professor Miller.
