Nicola Roxon (Gellibrand, Australian Labor Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for La Trobe. I do indeed have some good news for the House: today the highest court in the country has confirmed legislation that was passed by this parliament. That means that Australians will no longer be subjected to tobacco being sold in packaging which is attractive to young people and which entices them to take up what is a deadly and addictive habit. This decision is good news for every parent who worries about their child taking up this habit. I think that it is a good thing for Australia now to be leading the world as the first country to mandate plain packaging of all tobacco products.

I thought it would be timely to reflect on what has been a long battle with the big tobacco companies. This House would remember the billboards and advertising campaigns that big tobacco took out. Just as an example, I have one that was used. It reads: 'Will plain packaging costs taxpayers billions of dollars?' Of course the court, in deciding today that this was a constitutional act of this parliament, has answered the question tobacco companies asked when they took out an ad, put up billboards and donated money to the Liberal Party—when they said, 'Do not let the taxpayer foot the bill for a bad bill.'

Mr Dutton interjecting—

I think it would interest the House and the public to know that not only was the law upheld but the big tobacco companies have been ordered to pay the legal costs of the Commonwealth.

Ms Julie Bishop interjecting—

Mr Dutton interjecting—

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