Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

It does directly relate to plain packaging, because one of the key purposes of plain packaging is to ensure that health warnings are the first and only thing that the public see when they buy a packet of cigarettes. The Leader of the Opposition has been out in the media saying that no-one was tougher than him in introducing graphic warnings on tobacco. But the Sydney Morning Herald published another story. It reported that when Mr Abbott, the Leader of the Opposition, was the health minister, he challenged whether these steps needed to be taken. I quote:

'Do we really have to be doing this?' he asked. He argued that smoking was a matter of 'personal responsibility' and people had 'freedom to choose.'

It is no wonder that those opposite are starting to divide on this issue. It is no wonder that people are questioning whether he is a tobacco denier as well as a climate change denier. Australia could lead the world on tobacco control, but the Leader of the Opposition needs to lead his party.

See this speech in context