The opposition will fight for WA’s looming illicit tobacco laws to be tougher, arguing those found illegally selling cigarettes should face long-term closures and termination of their leases.
The proposed amendments to the Tobacco Products Control Act will also strengthen penalties for those caught selling tobacco and vapes to minors.
Shadow police minister Adam Hort said the changes were needed to dismantle WA’s growing illicit tobacco trade, which has been linked to more than a dozen arson attacks in the past 18 months.
“The firebombings of shops, threats to innocent business owners and drive-by shootings must stop, and these amendments will give authorities the tools to shut this trade down,” he said.
New research conducted by the Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer showed 70 per cent of West Australians supported immediate shop closure powers and stronger enforcement to crack down on illegal tobacco and vapes.
Here’s what’s making headlines across the nation and around the world:
- Australia will deepen its defence ties with Britain by spending $310 million on a new stage of the AUKUS submarine project as well as launching joint work on radar systems, drones and missile tests that could help Ukraine.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese says Australia would strip the former prince Andrew’s right to succeed to the throne due to the grave allegations against the disgraced royal.
- The Tesla Model Y has been crowned the 21st winner of the Drive Car of the Year award, with judges praising its practical packaging, exceptional value and game-changing technology.
Good morning and welcome to our live and local news blog for Tuesday, February 24.
Making headlines today, with negotiations at an impasse, the firefighters’ union will take the extraordinary step of calling on the WA Industrial Relations Commission to draw up an entirely new pay deal.
The lengthy pay and conditions fight started in March last year, but 22 meetings and several rejected offers and counteroffers later, the government and the United Firefighters Union of WA are no closer to striking a deal.
Meanwhile, five West Australian private schools are spending more on capital works than thousands of public schools nationally, a new report has revealed, with one high-fee school topping the list.
The latest figures were revealed in a new report from the Australian Education Union – The Building Divide in Australian Schools: How capital funding fuels educational inequity.
Stay with us as we bring you the news of the day, as it happens.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
