- Cook Government introducing priority amendments to WA tobacco laws
- Changes will ensure Western Australia has some of the strongest penalties in Australia
- Businesses caught selling illicit tobacco or vapes will face closure orders
- Legislation designed to help keep Western Australians safe
The Cook Government will introduce tough new laws to stamp out the dangerous illicit tobacco and vape trade, on the first sitting day of Parliament.
Amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Act 2006 will see WA have some of the strongest penalties in Australia.
The changes will significantly strengthen compliance and enforcement options and ensure Western Australia's laws are robust and responsive to the evolving illegal tobacco and vape trade.
Under the proposed legislation changes, the maximum penalty for possession of a large commercial quantity of illicit tobacco and vaping products will be $4.2 million for an individual or $21 million for a company, and 15 years imprisonment.
Store closure orders of up to 90 days will also be introduced, ensuring businesses supplying illegal products will not be able to operate while investigations take place.
Western Australia's orders will be amongst the toughest in the nation and provide compliance officers with a key enforcement mechanism to shut down businesses found to be selling illicit tobacco and vaping products.
This Bill is Tranche 1 of a multi-stage approach to reforms, with Tranche 2 further tightening licencing, and introducing long term closures of up to 12 months.
The Cook Government will continue using every available measure to disrupt illegal tobacco and vape supply and the proposed new laws will provide timely additional powers for the expanded Tobacco and Vape Compliance Unit.
As stated by Premier Roger Cook:
"Keeping Western Australians safe is my government's priority.
"Let me be very clear: these tobacco thugs must be stopped.
"New legislation being introduced this week will help crush the dangerous illegal tobacco and vape trade - and drive criminals out of business.
"The changes are in addition to a range of new measures, including our newly expanded compliance unit which has already seen an increase in seizures of illicit products.
"Our government is committed to continuing to update tobacco control legislation - to protect Western Australians from these harmful products and to strengthen enforcement measures."
As stated by Health Minister Meredith Hammat:
"This dangerous trade has absolutely no place in Western Australia.
"We've looked at what is working in other jurisdictions, and how we can replicate and expand on that to ensure our laws keep Western Australians safe.
"Our changes will significantly strengthen enforcement now and enable a strong State-wide response from WA Health's expanded Tobacco and Vape Compliance Unit.
"We're prioritising community safety now with these new laws, and I look forward to introducing further measures focused on public health, licensing and administrative matters in the second tranche of amendments later this year."
As stated by Police Minister Reece Whitby:
"Over the summer we saw multiple businesses targeted by organised crime networks - and police are doing everything they can to bring them down.
"The Western Australian Police force, through Taskforce Maverick continue to make impressive gains against serious and organised crime groups.
"Police have seen the impact of the illicit tobacco trade, and these tougher laws will help disrupt this criminal activity.
"These new laws that will give both the Department of Health and WA Police additional powers to shut down illegal shops and increase penalties for those who break the law."
