Shellharbour Council vote for beach smoking ban

Smokers wanting to light up on Shellharbour beaches could soon face a blanket ban. Shellharbour City Council last night unanimoulsy endorsed a new smoking ban on all beaches and in the city’s alfresco dining areas, adding to its existing ban at council sports grounds and near children’s playgrounds. The new policy will be placed on public exhibition for submissions before it is adopted. It would make Shellharbour the first Illawarra council to ban smoking on its beaches.

The expanded policy was designed to protect residents against second hand smoke, the council heard. A report to the council said in addition to the health impacts of smoking, cigarette butts also presented a ‘‘huge threat’’ to waterways, wildlife and the cleanliness of the city’s beaches. While the council could not amend current agreements regarding alfresco dining, it could add the no smoking requirement to any new agreements or when existing agreements were renewed, the report said. "I think the community have to be responsible in their behaviour and that smokers have got a right to smoke but that shouldn't be forced on to non-smokers through passive smoking," deputy mayor Marianne Saliba said.

City outcomes director Carey McIntyre said the experience of other areas with similar policies was that they were "largely self-policing". However, the council would bear the cost if council rangers were required to police the ban. Wollongong and Kiama councils also have some anti-smoking measures in place. At its meeting last night, Kiama council counsidered a proposed ban in all public areas in the town’s main streets. The matter was passed on to a health committee. More than half of NSW councils have some sort of outdoors anti-smoking policy, the majority of which cover playgrounds and sports fields, a 2011 Heart Foundation survey found.

The survey showed alfresco dining areas were smoke-free in 30 councils, but only 15 had bans at beaches. Heart Foundation regional health coordinator Andy Mark yesterday welcomed Shellharbour’s proposed stand. ‘‘Alfresco is probably one of the more important areas from a point of exposure to other people’s second hand smoke because we have a number of people in that location, often a fairly crowded spot,’’ he said. The state government has introduced legislation to ban smoking in playgrounds, public sports grounds, swimming pools, public transport stops and the entrances to public buildings.