FEDERAL Member for Bowman Henry Pike has backed a Coalition plan to slash tobacco excise and legalise regulated vapes, arguing it would cut the profits driving illegal cigarette shops across the Redlands.
But Federal Member for Bonner Kara Cook says the focus must remain on protecting young people from nicotine addiction and shutting down illegal retailers.
Mr Pike said illicit tobacco stores were part of a wider organised crime problem linked to extortion, firebombings, drug trafficking and money laundering.
“We’ve seen this take place in the Redlands and the community is entirely sick of it,” he said.
“Businesses already under pressure from rising costs are now being forced to look over their shoulders as criminal gangs fight for control of the illegal tobacco trade.”
The Coalition policy proposes an 80 per cent cut to tobacco excise, legal and regulated vapes and nicotine pouches for adults, a $200 million national enforcement operation and a $60 million public awareness campaign.
Mr Pike said reducing the price gap between legal and illicit products would remove the profit incentive for organised crime.
Government estimates put illicit tobacco profits at between $4.1 and $6.9 billion.
“The answer cannot simply be to keep increasing taxes while organised criminals take over more of the market,” he said.
“For the Redlands, this is about fixing our economy and protecting our way of life.”
State Member for Oodgeroo Amanda Stoker said residents were rightly concerned about illegal tobacco stores spreading through local shopping strips.
“There’s a lot of interest locally in ensuring illegal tobacco stores don’t proliferate in our main streets,” she said.
Ms Stoker said Queensland’s strengthened laws allowed Queensland Health to close illegal businesses for up to three months without lengthy court processes, gave landlords power to terminate leases, and created penalties of more than $165,000 and 12 months’ jail for commercial landlords who knowingly allow illegal tobacco activity.
She said Queensland Health officers could now conduct undercover operations to identify and close illicit tobacco and vape businesses, while stock seized from illegal stores could be forfeited and destroyed more quickly.
“As we build a better mousetrap, the criminal networks that run these operations keep trying to build better mice,” she said.
“As a government, we are cracking down on them.”
Ms Cook said the Albanese Government’s approach put public health and young people first.
“We can’t let organised crime or tobacco companies shape Australia’s health policies,” she said.
She said young people who vaped were five times more likely to later smoke cigarettes, and pointed to more than $365 million in Federal investment for border enforcement, support for states to close illegal retailers and disruption of organised crime.
“Keeping illegal tobacco and nicotine products off our streets shouldn’t be a political issue,” Ms Cook said.
