Julian Leeser (Berowra, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

Let me begin by thanking my friend the member for Macarthur, who chaired this inquiry and is hugely respected across this parliament for his knowledge, wisdom and experience as a medical practitioner but also for the way that he's conducted not just this inquiry but committees over the entire parliament. It is really a privilege to work with him. Let me echo his words about our excellent secretariat and the other members of the committee, with whom it's been a privilege to work. Let me also thank all those who have made submissions to this inquiry.

In the short time since this inquiry was referred to the committee, we have not had adequate time to hear from the full range of witnesses or consider an adequate range of evidence to allow the committee to draw conclusions. Therefore, what we've produced is an issues paper that a future parliament might pick up and that witnesses might respond to in helping any future committee arrive at recommendations for policy reform. Nothing that appears in this issues paper should be taken as the committee expressing a concluded view about the evidence presented to it. This issues paper highlights areas requiring deeper exploration and careful analysis before drawing conclusions.

I want to bring attention to two issues today which I think it's very important for any future committee to consider. Firstly, chapters 3 and 5 raise controversial discussions around harm minimisation and approaches to law enforcement. Speaking for myself, I would have real difficulty supporting a so-called harm minimisation approach to dealing with illicit drugs. While we've heard from many advocates of harm minimisation, the committee hasn't heard from state and territory law enforcement and other broader community stakeholders to better test these strategies. I therefore want to make a special call to state and territory police to participate in any future inquiry. We need to hear from the men and women at the forefront of keeping our community safe.

Secondly, I want to turn to the question of nicotine addiction. In this report, we make the following observation:

While the use of vapes or e-cigarettes is not the focus of this inquiry, the Committee acknowledges the concern that has been raised by witnesses regarding the use of these products, as younger people are at greater risk of developing nicotine dependence than adults.

I want to say a few things briefly about this issue because it's one of increasing importance to our community. If the next parliament takes up this inquiry, I think it has a duty to examine the growing impact of e-cigarettes, vaping and nicotine addiction on our young people. In recent months, I've had concerned parents write to me about the ease of their children getting vapes and I've heard anecdotal stories about the illegal tobacco trade operating even in our own community, and I've raised these issues with local police. Young Australians face a heightened risk of nicotine dependency, increasingly fuelled by the surge in vaping and e-cigarette use.

Stories in the media in recent months indicate that the illegal tobacco trade is thriving across our nation. What's often overlooked is how the black market boom is closely linked with rising vape and e-cigarette sales. In my own electorate, we're seeing a sudden rise in the number of tobacconists sprouting up in nearly every suburb, especially near transport hubs frequented by schoolchildren. These shops are strategically marketing chocolate, lollies and other sweets to deliberately entice children onto the premises. The tactic isn't accidental. It lures our young people into the stores, transitioning them into illegal nicotine products as they grow older.

I think the next parliament has to look at this. It puzzles me, for instance, that in my home state of New South Wales, while stringent approvals and licensing for liquor stores are required, as they should be, tobacconists can operate with minimal oversight, minimal approval and minimal licensing. I note the coalition has proposed a $250 million illegal tobacco and vaping taskforce led by Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force to tackle illegal vapes from the border to the shopfront. This will provide desperately needed federal leadership to crack down on organised criminal activity and protect Australian children. The duty to protect our young people lies with every single one of us, especially those elected to represent our communities.

I make no apology for calling out those who seek to market nicotine products to children. I make no apology for calling out those who to seek to spread disinformation and misinformation about nicotine products contrary to health advice. I make no apology for standing strong against the scourge of those who'd see our children face a life of dependence and addiction.

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