❓ A WA parliamentary question addresses the government's decision to exempt the Burswood Casino's international room from smoking bans, the drafting of new regulations, and the delayed review of smoking in prisons and psychiatric institutions.
AnsweredQoN 420Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) Will the minister explain why, contrary to public opinion and community concerns about smoking issues, the government has decided that the international room at the Burswood Casino is to be given an exemption from a ban on smoking in enclosed public places? (2) Will new regulations be drafted to cover the casino’s exemption from the Health (Smoking in Enclosed Public Places) Regulations? (3) Last November, the minister announced a review of smoking in Western Australian prisons and psychiatric institutions, which was to report by July 2005. When will that report be made public? Mr J.A. McGINTY
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(2) Will new regulations be drafted to cover the casino’s exemption from the Health (Smoking in Enclosed Public Places) Regulations? (3) Last November, the minister announced a review of smoking in Western Australian prisons and psychiatric institutions, which was to report by July 2005. When will that report be made public? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(3) Last November, the minister announced a review of smoking in Western Australian prisons and psychiatric institutions, which was to report by July 2005. When will that report be made public? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(2) Will new regulations be drafted to cover the casino’s exemption from the Health (Smoking in Enclosed Public Places) Regulations? (3) Last November, the minister announced a review of smoking in Western Australian prisons and psychiatric institutions, which was to report by July 2005. When will that report be made public? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(3) Last November, the minister announced a review of smoking in Western Australian prisons and psychiatric institutions, which was to report by July 2005. When will that report be made public? Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
Mr J.A. McGINTY replied: I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
I thank the member for Alfred Cove for the question and some notice of it. (1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(1) I advise at the outset that the decision on the international room at the Burswood Casino was a compromise between conflicting arguments that were being put. I totally accept the comments that have been made today and leading up to that decision by the various health interests. I completely understand their arguments because the only safe work environment is a smoke-free work environment. Those health issues are well understood. The decision was based on us following the situation and leaving the Burswood Casino in a competitive position compared with casinos in the other states. Each of the major states of Australia has announced that, coupled with bans on smoking in pubs and clubs, when they are introduced - at a date later than they are to be in introduced in Western Australia - their equivalent to the international room will be exempt in Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria. Therefore, smoking will still be allowed in the international rooms in those states. We are doing the same. The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
The Burswood Casino came to the government some months ago with a proposal to have two international rooms, each with a smoking exemption - the existing international room facility coupled with a new facility, which it is proposed to construct in what is known as the Windows Restaurant area. We advised the Burswood that this was not acceptable to the government and it came back with a proposal that will transfer the existing exemption for the international room to the new international room, which will be constructed in the Windows Restaurant area. I say this was a compromise in the context of the decision to again join the leading states in the banning of smoking in pubs and clubs throughout the length and breadth of Western Australia. The Tobacco Products Control Bill, which we are currently debating in this Parliament, will mean Western Australia will not only have the lowest incidence of smoking in the nation, but it will also have the most progressive legislation in place dealing with this issue - the international room at the Burswood Casino. (2) I suspect the answer is yes, although I cannot be definitive on that, because all we are doing is carrying forward an existing express exemption in the regulations for the international room at the Burswood Casino. Given that it will be a new international room, it may or may not require new regulations to cover that situation. I suspect that, even though it is a continuing and existing exemption, the answer will be that we will need to better define that in the regulations. (3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
(3) I expect that matter will be resolved within the next few months. Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
Dr J.M. Woollard : You said July. Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
Mr J.A. McGINTY : I know. I have not been able to meet the time frame that I set, because the proposal that came to me in respect of prisons was not one I was happy with, and I have not had the opportunity to discuss tightening it up even further with my colleague the Minister for Justice. The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
The prisons and psychiatric institutions pose difficult issues. They are being progressed and will be resolved in the not too distant future. The issues include, first, the incidence of smoking by prison officers within prisons, which needs to be addressed. Secondly, the argument was put that prisoners’ smoking leads to reduction in stress levels and, therefore, a reduction in self-harm and suicides in prisons. I do not accept that argument. Thirdly, a prisoner’s cell is a prisoner’s home and one can smoke in one’s own home, therefore prisoners should be able to smoke in their homes. Again, I do not accept that argument. Nonetheless, they are difficult issues that need to be worked through. We are doing that and I am confident that they will be resolved subject to discussions with my colleague the Minister for Justice within the next few months.
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