THE young man smoking at the Ormonde Parade entrance of Hurstville railway station wasn't aware that he could have been up for a $110 on-the-spot fine.
No, he had no idea, he said, inhaling and exhaling.
"But thank you for telling me. I'll just have to smoke in my apartment from now on."
If he had let his eye wander a couple of metres to his right, he would have seen the new "No smoking" sign stuck on the back of a bus shelter by Kogarah Council.
Amendments to the Smoke-free Environment Act took effect on January 7, banning smoking within 10 metres of children's play equipment; at swimming pool complexes; in spectator areas of sports grounds or other recreational areas; on railway platforms; at bus stops and taxi ranks and within four metres of a pedestrian access point to a public building. And from 2015, in all commercial outdoor dining areas.
A passing Kogarah Council street cleaner said he couldn't have been happier.
There was a noticeable difference already, he said, with far fewer butts to pick up.
Taxi drivers at a nearby rank knew of the amendments but weren't too fussed either way.
Yes, the street was cleaner, they said, but it was going to be hard for drivers who smoked because their employment guidelines said they could not stray more than three metres from their cars without incurring a $150 fine.
But they noticed that the people who ate their lunch at the bus stop — and moved as soon as someone lit up — were now able to enjoy their food undisturbed.
However, the happiest chappie was Oatley MP Mark Coure whose office is in Ormonde Parade.
He was pleased with his own and the government's efforts to minimise cigarette smoke and has written to the three St George councils requesting more signage.
"Smoking causes around 5200 deaths and 44,000 hospitalisations in NSW a year and costs about $8 billion annually," he said.
"Taking steps to limit people's exposure to second-hand smoke is a key step in efforts to minimise tobacco smoking in our society."
A dirty bin with butts just outside the four-metre line at the station could become the new spot for smokers.
PASS THE BUTT
AMENDMENTS to the Smoke-free Environment Act took effect on January 7, banning smoking in many public places including railway platforms; at bus stops and taxi ranks and within four metres of a pedestrian access point to a public building.
But who is going to collect the fines? Certainly not the local councils unless they have added their own
smoke free zones aside from the legislation.
According to the NSW Health: ‘‘authorised inspectors from the NSW Health public health units, located in local health districts, will be responsible for enforcement of
compliance with the new smoking bans’’.
Except where councils have bylaws banning smoking in settings not covered by the statewide legislation.
What do you think of the new smoking bans?
