Smoking cloud looms over City Council

City of Sydney Council is awaiting a report on managing smoking in public following bans in outdoor dining areas in neighbouring councils.

Waverley and Leichhardt have recently joined Manly and Mosman in legislating bans, intended to benefit public health.

Councillor Di Tornai, a Clover Moore Independent, says although there are councillors in strong support of a ban, it’s not clear whether it would pass.

“Sydney City normally leads the march on things like this and I think it’s time we brought ourselves up in line with those other councils,” she said.

“I know we’re going to get a high level of objection because that’s what people do to defend what they do.”

Elizabeth Freeman, a cafe owner on Glebe Point Road, said such a ban would unfairly target cafes and be difficult to manage.

“How can I enforce that someone’s not going to have a cigarette outside my café? I’m not a police inspector,” she said.

“They’re selling cigarettes from the shop next door, but they won’t let them smoke outside my café? What sense does that make?”

Leichhardt café owner Roy Crino doesn’t think the ban in his council is fair, but is somewhat optimistic.

“If the government is really serious about not smoking in outdoor areas, they’d make it a statewide thing, not a municipality,” he said.

“As far as disadvantaging a business, it could go either way really. It could actually attract more people. I mean, obviously you’ve got to get rid of the smokers, but you could attract a lot of non-smokers.

“Until the ban actually comes in, we won’t know really, but in most cases they say it has actually increased business.”

The City Council has recently targeted smoking-related litter in the CBD with a two day ‘Butt Blitz’: handing out 1600 portable ashtrays and educating smokers about the effect littering has on the harbour.

It has also prohibited the sale and promotion of tobacco from mobile sites.

“The City is committed to raising community awareness of the health and social issues associated with smoking, and protecting the environment from the impact of inappropriately discarded cigarette butts,” said a City of Sydney Council spokesperson.