Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Rural Health, Senator Nash, representing the Minister for Health. Can the minister inform the Senate how the government is helping Australians give up smoking?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the senator for her question and note her very real interest in what is an important issue for all Australians. All of us in this chamber know that smoking causes great harm to Australians; leads to death from cancer and lung and heart disease; and hurts families. The coalition government has moved ahead with a suite of evidence based initiatives, including a focus on Indigenous communities. The government is also defending the legal action against plain packaging by the big tobacco companies. Smoking rates in Australia have been reduced to an all-time low.

The most recent national data from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare's National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2013 reports that the daily smoking rates for those aged 14 and over has now dropped to 12.8 per cent. Young people—those on the other side might be interested to know—are also delaying commencing smoking. The average age at which 14- to 24-year-olds smoke their first full cigarette increased from 15.4 years of age in 2010 to 15.9 years of age in 2013. This is the most significant drop in smoking rates in Australia in 20 years and reinforces the benefits of having a multifaceted, evidence based comprehensive suite of tobacco control measures.

Price measures are one component of the Australian government's comprehensive set of national tobacco control measures, which also include education programs and campaigns, plain packaging, labelling tobacco packaging with updated and larger graphic health warnings, prohibiting tobacco advertising and promotion, and, most importantly, providing support for smokers to quit.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a supplementary question. Will the minister further advise the Senate on how the government is helping Indigenous Australians tackle smoking?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I am very pleased to announce that, as part of the government's revamped Tackling Indigenous Smoking program, funding of $116.8 million over the next three years will be provided for evidence based regional activities that will reduce the number of people taking up smoking, and encourage and support people to quit. Local knowledge, as we understand on this side of the chamber, is always best. Service providers will make decisions on how they tackle smoking in their region. Funding will continue for enhancement to quit-lines, and the training for front-line health and community workers who help Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander smokers. I am also pleased to advise that funding of $10 million has been allocated from the national tobacco campaign to target Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask a final supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate of the importance of evidence based policy in reducing tobacco use in Australia?

Fiona Nash (NSW, National Party, Deputy Leader of the Nationals in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As I have noted previously, this government's policy is built on a strong evidence base. However, Labor seem to have no evidence base for their recent announcement to commit to increasing the tobacco excise. Labor claims their tax was modelled to factor in behaviour change, but Labor will not reduce its modelling. They will not tell us anything. Indeed, I note that it was Labor's Senator Bullock who also stated last week that those on lower incomes and likely Labor voters would not be able to afford this additional slug. It is a simplistic, regressive grab for revenue. Labor needs to understand that smokers alone cannot pay off Labor's deficit. It is more policy on the run from Labor. They should release their costings. They should say how much this is going to reduce smoking, and how much money it is going to raise.