A leading retail advocacy group has thrown its support behind calls for a New South Wales parliamentary inquiry into illicit tobacco – by Independent MPs Gareth Ward and Joe McGirr – to stop an all-out Victorian style tobacco turf war engulfing the state.
Australian Association of Convenience Stores (AACS) CEO Theo Foukkare said the inquiry – called for by Independent Kiama MP Gareth Ward, must be urgently acted upon.
“Just last week AACS had warned the tobacco turf wars in Victoria – that have resulted in close to 100 stores being firebombed – would spread to New South Wales and now it has, with an arson attack on a store in Ettalong on the New South Wales Central Coast,” he said.
“Mr Ward’s Notice of Motion for this inquiry must be supported if Sydney and all parts of New South Wales are to be spared of the almost weekly firebombings that are happening in Melbourne and across Victoria, which are putting innocent lives and businesses at risk.
“Mr Ward’s calls for tougher penalties for any retailers caught selling illicit black-market tobacco have our full support.
“The penalties for selling illicit black-market tobacco and vapes in New South Wales are so minimal that non-compliant store owners are not deterred – this was clearly outlined in last week’s parliamentary inquiry into vaping and it is the same for black-market tobacco.
“The punishment doesn’t match the crime and these money-hungry crims just pay a small fine and get back to selling these dangerous products to kids and anyone who will buy them,” Mr Foukkare said.
Mr Foukkare called on the Minn’s Government, the NSW Opposition and the Cross Bench to back Mr Ward’s Notice of Motion.
“This is an issue that needs to be addressed urgently and our members want to see a bipartisan approach to where authorities are really able to come down hard on these blatant criminals who simply don’t respect the law or value human life.
“We’ve seen what’s unfolding in Victoria with the illicit tobacco and vape wars and it is terrifying and now New South Wales has started to see similar attacks – we need our politicians to stop this from getting worse right now,” Mr Foukkare said.
Theo Foukkare is available for interview on 0423 003 133
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