Melbourne Town Hall and council offices set to go smoke-free

The entrances and footpaths outside Melbourne Town Hall and the City of Melbourne’s main administration buildings will become smoke-free after councillors voted unanimously to extend the city’s smoking and vaping bans at the November 11 Future Melbourne Committee meeting.

Under the change, smoking and vaping will be prohibited at the main entrances and along the front footpaths of Melbourne Town Hall on Swanston St, and Council House 1 and Council House 2 in Little Collins St. The move builds on the council’s Smoke-free Melbourne Policy and adds to 14 existing council-prescribed smoke-free areas, including Bourke Street Mall, Queen Victoria Market, QV Melbourne and Market Street Park.

Moving the motion, Cr Gladys Liu said the proposal was strongly backed by the community and motivated by her own family experience.

“My late mother never smoked, but she had lung cancer, so I’m very passionate about how I can help create a more smoke-free environment for everyone,” Cr Liu told the meeting.

“Community consultation shows that we have very strong support for this, with 72 per cent of residents and 71 per cent of businesses in favour of the smoke-free areas proposal. Many people have told us that it is a positive step towards creating a healthier, cleaner and more welcoming environment for everyone visiting our civic buildings.”

We already have 14 prescribed smoke-free areas across the municipality, including Bourke Street Mall and Queen Vic Market, and this builds on that successful approach. This is a practical, community-backed measure that protects public health and enhances the experience of our city spaces.

Seconding the motion, Cr Davydd Griffiths said Melbourne was continuing its leadership on tobacco control.

“Melbourne, Victoria and Australia have led the way around the world on tackling smoking and the harm that it does to people in our community, and I think that this is another important part in that process,” he said.

“It’s one thing for us to say that this is the rule. It’s another thing to make sure that the people out there help to reinforce that in their fellow Melburnians. We’ve seen laws change in pubs and nightclubs, and I think this motion is another great step along the way.”

While supportive, Cr Owen Guest raised questions about how far smoke-free regulation should extend.

“I’m just wondering where this ends when we become prescriptive about what people can and can’t do,” he said. “Are we going to end up with a City of Melbourne where smoking is banned throughout? I don’t smoke, but some do. It’s a popular pastime. I like hamburgers too, and I know they’re not good for me, so I’m just wondering where this ends.”

Cr Andrew Rouse noted the changes would bring Melbourne into line with other jurisdictions.

“Smoking is banned within four metres of entrances to certain Victorian Government buildings. However, this does not apply to local government buildings,” he said. “There is legislation in all other states and territories that includes smoking and vaping bans around local government buildings, so all this seeks to do is put us in line with the rest of the country.”

Lord Mayor Nick Reece said almost three-quarters of consultation respondents indicated they would support more smoke-free zones across the city and declared the motion carried unanimously with a characteristically playful flourish.

“One small puff for council, one giant breath for Melbourne,” he said. •