Why the Greens are in real trouble
This is the same Drew Hutton who was the Greens standard bearer in Queensland for decades, until his 'retirement' from politics in 2010, when he set up the Lock-the-Gate movement with farmers to slow the encroachment of mining and gas exploration on prime farming land.
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Sydney Morning Herald
19 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Tougher laws on vaping, illegal tobacco may struggle to hold back the tide
Only eight days ago, the Minns government announced to great fanfare that illegal tobacco sellers would face prison terms of up to seven years and forced shop closures under new laws to be introduced. The changes, which Health Minister Ryan Park described as the toughest in the country, included new maximum penalties of $1.5 million and seven years' imprisonment for the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes. They would introduce similar penalties for possession of commercial quantities of the substances. The new laws were first flagged by Premier Chris Minns the week before. Today comes the news that the suburb of Dulwich Hill has four tobacconists that each sell illegal vapes. In neighbouring Marrickville, a new store is using Labubu toys to promote illegal vapes just metres from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's electoral office in another sign of how brazen Sydney's black market tobacco has become. From July 1 last year, all nicotine vapes have been classified as therapeutic goods, meaning they can be legally purchased only at pharmacies. Despite the promise of these tough new laws, the Herald visited the four tobacconists in Dulwich Hill – three on Marrickville Road and a fourth on New Canterbury Road – and asked for an Alibarbar vape from each. Some produced laminated menus showing the various flavours of Chinese-made vapes. Most offered a discount for paying cash, and the price averaged about $35 for a gold 'ingot' vape boasting 9000 puffs. In Marrickville, there are at least 10 tobacconists. The Herald visited the newest store, Labubu Stop & Shop, which has opened across the street from Albanese's electorate office.
The Age
19 hours ago
- The Age
Tougher laws on vaping, illegal tobacco may struggle to hold back the tide
Only eight days ago, the Minns government announced to great fanfare that illegal tobacco sellers would face prison terms of up to seven years and forced shop closures under new laws to be introduced. The changes, which Health Minister Ryan Park described as the toughest in the country, included new maximum penalties of $1.5 million and seven years' imprisonment for the sale of illegal tobacco and vapes. They would introduce similar penalties for possession of commercial quantities of the substances. The new laws were first flagged by Premier Chris Minns the week before. Today comes the news that the suburb of Dulwich Hill has four tobacconists that each sell illegal vapes. In neighbouring Marrickville, a new store is using Labubu toys to promote illegal vapes just metres from Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's electoral office in another sign of how brazen Sydney's black market tobacco has become. From July 1 last year, all nicotine vapes have been classified as therapeutic goods, meaning they can be legally purchased only at pharmacies. Despite the promise of these tough new laws, the Herald visited the four tobacconists in Dulwich Hill – three on Marrickville Road and a fourth on New Canterbury Road – and asked for an Alibarbar vape from each. Some produced laminated menus showing the various flavours of Chinese-made vapes. Most offered a discount for paying cash, and the price averaged about $35 for a gold 'ingot' vape boasting 9000 puffs. In Marrickville, there are at least 10 tobacconists. The Herald visited the newest store, Labubu Stop & Shop, which has opened across the street from Albanese's electorate office.
Sydney Morning Herald
19 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
WA's new gun laws to remain after disallowance motion thrown out
Sweeping changes to Western Australia's gun laws have been backed by members of parliament, with the majority voting to throw out a disallowance motion put forward in an attempt to stop them in their tracks. Nationals Leader Shane Love campaigned on a pledge to rewrite the Firearms Act 2024 – passed through state parliament in June last year – ahead of the March state election. The act is the most sweeping change to gun laws in Australia since the Howard-era reforms. Love continued to advocate for an end to those laws despite the election loss and first put forward a disallowance motion in the lower house in May, which ultimately failed. On Thursday afternoon, another disallowance motion was put forward by Legalise Cannabis MLC Brian Walker in the upper house. Despite receiving support from the Liberals, Nationals and One Nation, both the Greens and Labor representatives voted it down 17 to 19. Greens leader Brad Pettitt said that the 'nuclear option that's before the parliament today … is something that can't be supported'. The vote occurred after a protest on the steps of parliament house that attracted more than 1000 firearms owners across WA, frustrated and angered by the new laws – labelled the strictest in Australia. A firearm portal that gun owners must now use to register their weapons has also faced significant scrutiny for being confusing to use and failing to work properly.
