Smokers face $110 fine for lighting up in mall
SMOKING will be banned in the Ipswich Mall and around taxi ranks, bus stops and shelters from February 1 next year.
Deputy Mayor Victor Attwood said the council was introducing an interim local law to ban smoking in pedestrian malls and at public transport waiting points.
Cr Attwood said the council ban would allow it to move to introduce a permanent local law banning smoking in those places.
A change in state laws governing smoking in public places is expected next year.
"It is well established that passive smoke causes coronary heart disease and lung cancer in non-smoking adults and induces and exacerbates a range of respiratory effects in infants, children and adults," he said.
"It also increases the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome and other serious health outcomes in young children."
Smoking in smoke-free areas will attract a fine of $110 while a $220 fine will apply for anyone failing to comply with a verbal direction from an authorised officer not to smoke.
Barbara Malone from Leichhardt, who regularly smokes in the mall, said the ban came as no surprise to her.
"I was waiting for that to happen," she said.
"Most shopping centres you can't smoke. I can understand a lot of people don't smoke; my kids don't smoke because of me."
But Matthew Olde-Byvank of Rosewood said a smoking ban in the mall was "a bit inconvenient".
"I work up the top of the mall and I normally just come down for a quick smoke," he said.
"It's a choice I make [to smoke]. I'll probably do it anyway."
A poll on qt.com.au showed more than three quarters of people supported the ban.
Vote in our poll or tell us what you think of Council's decision in our Comments section below:
