NSW is changing retail laws, forcing tobacco retailers to obtain a license, and increasing fines for those caught selling under-the-counter product.NSW parliament will debate the new laws in coming months, which the government hopes will be introduced on July 1, 2025.Have you ever walked past an empty shell of a shop — claiming to be a tobacconist — and wondered how it's making any money?
In New South Wales, the government is well aware of this growing illicit trade — particularly in rural and regional communities — but it has no idea how many retailers are in on it.Anyone who wants to open a cigarette shop in the state just needs an ABN and must then notify NSW Health to obtain a Tobacco Retailer Notification number .
"This is an issue that has got in front of, if we're all honest, legislators over many years," Mr Park said.Anyone selling tobacco products will be forced to pass a fit-and-proper test and pay an annual license fee; NSW is the last state to either introduce, or commit to introducing, a licensing regime specifically for tobacco retailers. It's seen as a vital step towards quantifying the size of the black market, and ultimately controlling the supply chain.Smoking rates are stagnant at around 10 per cent of the adult population, due in part to the high cost.
However, Mr Foukkare said the fines were still not big enough and expressed disappointment that NSW would be leaving health officials in charge of enforcement rather than handing that responsibility to police or a dedicated taskforce."If NSW really wants to tackle the illicit tobacco trade, it's time to match South Australia's tougher penalties and enforcement, which start at $1 million.
The so-called tobacco wars appear to be spreading across the border into South Australia, where 17 stores have been firebombed.