At the eleventh hour before an election, the Albanese Labor Government’s announcement that they will finally provide additional resources towards the illicit tobacco black market is a clear admittance of failure.
Combatting this thriving black market should have been a priority of the Government more than a year ago.
Instead, it has exploded out-of-control under Labor’s watch, as organised crime syndicates are making money hand over fist and wreaking havoc in our communities.
Under Labor, kids are being targeted by a dangerous black market in illicit tobacco and vaping products, and communities are being put at risk by a spate of fire-bombings and extortion tactics.
The Albanese Government has made it clear that they are not up to the job of cracking down on these criminals and protecting children from the harms of illicit tobacco.
The Coalition took the lead in June last year by committing 10 times more funding towards law enforcement than Labor through our $250 million law enforcement package if elected.
This funding would be used to stand up an illicit tobacco and vaping taskforce led by the Australian Federal Police and the Australian Border Force to tackle illegal vapes from the border to the shopfront.
The Albanese Government refused to match this commitment.
Speaking to Triple J on 4 July 2024 about the enforcement of the Government’s vaping laws, the Health Minister Mark Butler even astoundingly admitted, “we are not going to use the police”, sending a green light to organised crime syndicates.
The Government has also failed to formally appoint an Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette Commissioner, more than a year after they voted in support of the Coalition’s amendment to establish this important new role.
The Coalition has repeatedly called on the Government to act quickly in setting up the Commissioner so that they can get on with the job of cracking down on organised crime, but they continue to drag their feet.
Shadow Minister for Health and Aged Care, Senator Anne Ruston said that only a Dutton Coalition Government will provide the desperately-needed Commonwealth leadership to crack down on this organised criminal activity and protect the health and safety of the Australian community.
“If you’re serious about protecting our community from the harms of the illicit tobacco black market, you must be serious about enforcement. This government has proven time and time again that they are not serious.
“Labor has allowed the black market to thrive through its inaction and weak leadership on this issue.
“The Government needs to make a permanent appointment to the Commissioner, as promised more than a year ago. It is clear we need a tough cop on the beat to respond to the mess Labor has made on illicit tobacco,” Shadow Minister Ruston said.
Shadow Minister for Home Affairs and Cyber Security, Senator James Paterson said, “This package is too little, too late. Labor’s failure to address this crisis has meant that over 130 legitimate small businesses have been attacked and people’s livelihoods ruined with millions of dollars in damages done.
“If Labor really did care about tackling this crisis, they would have acted months ago, not now, in what is clearly a deliberate pre-election play.”
ENDS
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