❓ Hon Neil Thomson questions the Minister for Health regarding illegal tobacco and vape sales in WA, specifically concerning enforcement, fines, and estimated sales volumes. The Minister provides some data on tobacco fines but declines to answer questions about inspector numbers and vape fines, citing operational security and data limitations.
AnsweredQoN 559Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
Tobacco and vapes—Illegal sales
559. Hon Neil Thomson to
the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer to the
situation of out-of-control illegal tobacco and vape sales in Western Australia.
For legal tobacco and vapes since 1 January:
(1) How many inspectors responsible for illegal
tobacco and vapes are there in the state?
(2) How many
businesses have been fined?
(3) How many of those businesses have had more
than one fine?
(4) What is the highest total amount of fines in
dollars received by any business?
(5) Have any businesses or individuals been fined
for warehousing illegal vapes or tobacco?
(a) If yes, what were the fines imposed in each
case?
(6) Does the minister's department have an
estimate of the number of illegal cigarettes and, separately, vapes sold in WA
per annum?
(a) If no, why not?
(b) If yes, what is that estimate?
The President: I note, honourable member, that that
question is extremely long and I remind you that I do have the capacity to rule
questions out of order under the standing orders.
559. Hon Neil Thomson to
the parliamentary secretary representing the
Minister for Health:
I refer to the
situation of out-of-control illegal tobacco and vape sales in Western Australia.
For legal tobacco and vapes since 1 January:
(1) How many inspectors responsible for illegal
tobacco and vapes are there in the state?
(2) How many
businesses have been fined?
(3) How many of those businesses have had more
than one fine?
(4) What is the highest total amount of fines in
dollars received by any business?
(5) Have any businesses or individuals been fined
for warehousing illegal vapes or tobacco?
(a) If yes, what were the fines imposed in each
case?
(6) Does the minister's department have an
estimate of the number of illegal cigarettes and, separately, vapes sold in WA
per annum?
(a) If no, why not?
(b) If yes, what is that estimate?
The President: I note, honourable member, that that
question is extremely long and I remind you that I do have the capacity to rule
questions out of order under the standing orders.
AnswerView source ↗
I
can assure the honourable member that my answer is not as lengthy. I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following has been
provided by the Minister for Health.
Hon Neil Thomson interjected.
The President: Order!
Hon Pierre Yang:
(1) For operational and security reasons this information
is not released.
(2)–(5) The Department of Health is
authorised to hand out fines for tobacco, but any fines for vapes are
determined by the court subsequent to prosecution. Since 1 January 2025, the
Department of Health has issued 33 infringement notices with a combined value of
$30,900 to a total of 27 businesses. Multiple infringements have been issued to
five businesses. The highest total amount of fines received by any business is
$3,000.
(6) The Department of Health does not collect
population-level data that would allow estimates of this kind and any estimate
would be speculative in nature.
can assure the honourable member that my answer is not as lengthy. I thank the
honourable member for some notice of the question. The following has been
provided by the Minister for Health.
Hon Neil Thomson interjected.
The President: Order!
Hon Pierre Yang:
(1) For operational and security reasons this information
is not released.
(2)–(5) The Department of Health is
authorised to hand out fines for tobacco, but any fines for vapes are
determined by the court subsequent to prosecution. Since 1 January 2025, the
Department of Health has issued 33 infringement notices with a combined value of
$30,900 to a total of 27 businesses. Multiple infringements have been issued to
five businesses. The highest total amount of fines received by any business is
$3,000.
(6) The Department of Health does not collect
population-level data that would allow estimates of this kind and any estimate
would be speculative in nature.
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