Sydney Councils Demand Stronger Controls On Tobacconists Opening Near Schools

Sydney councils are calling on the NSW Government to introduce stronger planning powers to control where tobacconists can open and prevent clusters from setting up near schools and community facilities. 

It comes as tobacconists and vape stores continue to entrench themselves in NSW communities, despite research from the University of New South Wales finding earlier this year that highly addictive nicotine-based e-cigarettes are likely carcinogenic to humans. 

Now, councils across NSW are renewing their calls for the NSW Government to require council approval before new tobacconists and vape stores can open in their local communities.

“Councils need the power to stop these shops popping up wherever they like,” said Labor Mayor of Sydney’s Inner West Council and the President of Local Government NSW (LGNSW), Darcy Byrne. “This is about preventing the problem in the first place, instead of playing whack-a-mole and trying to shut stores down one by one after they are found to be selling illegal tobacco products.”

“Just last month, the NSW Health Minister Ryan Park noted that illegal tobacconists are still ‘flourishing in suburbs and communities across the state’. The simplest and most effective way to stop this is to give councils the power to stop them from opening their doors in the first place.”

Byrne went on to identify tobacconists opening near schools as among the major concerns currently faced by councils.

“The requirement for a DA would let councils consider where a tobacconist wants to open, how many are already nearby and how close it is to schools, childcare centres and community facilities,” said Byrne.

NSW’s Licensing Reforms Not Enough To Prevent “The Proliferation Of Tobacconists”

While Byrne acknowledged the NSW Government recently strengthened its licensing and enforcement of tobacconist stores following a 2025 NSW Parliamentary inquiry into the illegal tobacco trade, the LGNSW President said this was not enough to prevent the spread of these businesses placing communities at risk.

 “Licensing and enforcement are important, but they deal with a different part of the problem. Councils need stronger planning powers to make it harder for illegal operators to exploit loopholes and to make it easier for councils to safeguard their communities. 

“I’ve just written to the NSW Planning Minister and Health Minister once again asking the NSW Government to work with councils to make development consent mandatory and give councils greater control over where these shops can open. We’ve continually proposed this common-sense solution to the NSW Government. 

“The proliferation of tobacconists and vape stores isn’t isolated to one area in NSW. It’s a problem right across the state, in both metropolitan and regional communities. Councils know their communities. Give us the tools to act before another tobacco shop opens in the wrong place.”