Public urged to 'dob in' smoky bars | Rotorua News | Local News in Rotorua

From December 10, all pubs, clubs and restaurants around the country will become smokefree. ALISON BROWN finds out how the new law will be policed.

Members of the public are being encouraged to "dob in" pubs, clubs and restaurants that flout new smokefree laws due to come into effect in just three weeks.

A freephone number, 0508 SMOKEFREE, has been set up by the Ministry of Health to allow people to complain about businesses where patrons constantly ignore requests to stop smoking.

Complaints will be forwarded to smokefree enforcement officers who will have the power to visit licensed premises and issue infringement notices. However, just one enforcement officer has been assigned to police the entire Bay of Plenty and Lakes district.

Graeme Gillespie, the ministry's communicable disease and environmental health policy group manager, said officers would be mainly responsible for making sure licensees understood their obligations.

He said he did not expect problems with compliance, because smoking was becoming more socially unacceptable.

But he admitted the ministry would be relying on the public to report any offences.



While health officials say the service strengthens the rights of non-smokers to a smokefree workplace, many publicans in Rotorua, Taupo and across the Bay of Plenty say the ministry has got its priorities wrong.

Rotorua's Reg Hennessy, who is Bay of Plenty branch president of the Hospitality Association, said he was disappointed the ministry was promoting the number when it had done little so far to support publicans in preparing for the change. Frustrated at having to wait for smokefree signs, Mr Hennessy has spent $1000 of his own money on signs for his own licensed premises.

"The Government spent millions bringing this law in and then once it's passed, they wipe their hands and walk away, leaving it up to people like us to sort out. It's a disgrace."

In Whakatane, Red Rock bar manager Megan Edmonds described the freephone number as "pretty slack".

Ms Edmonds it could take several months for smokers to get into the habit of smoking outside and the ministry was taking a hard line by encouraging people to complain as soon as the law changed.

In Taupo, Rockefeller Bar owner Mark Reynolds doubts whether the freephone number will have much impact.

He said the shortage of enforcement officers meant it would take more than a week to follow up any complaints anyway.

The new law comes into effect on December 10.

It says licensees must take "all reasonably practicable steps" to ensure that no-one smokes in their premises, although smoking will be allowed in "open areas".

However, there appears to be confusion about what defines an open area.

At a meeting in Auckland last week, officials were unable to clarify the issue.

New smokefree signs informing the public about the law change will be distributed to licensed premises over the next three weeks.

Bar managers will be responsible for making sure patrons do not smoke by displaying signs, training staff on what to do if someone lights a cigarette inside, and removing all ashtrays.

Failure to "take all practicable steps" to ensure people don't smoke in a bar or club can result in a fine of up to $400 for a manager or up to $4000 for a bar or club.

There is no penalty for smokers.

IN SATURDAY'S DAILY POST: Your View - we ask the public whether they'd dob in a pub where people were smoking.