Tuesday 15th May 2001

ACT Internal Affairs Spokesman MP Penny Webster today slammed the Government's moves to ban smoking in bars, saying the move is anti-business, and totally lacks common sense.

"If - as we are led to believe - this is a health issue, then just banning smoking in bars, cafes and restaurants, and not clubs and nightclubs, is nonsense.

"The sensible way would be to set an air-quality standard and allow businesses to meet this in their own way.

"Technology has moved on, and there are many ways of achieving an air quality standard.

"The government's plans create a gaping loophole. In dozens of small towns, the public are going to simply bypass the local bar and head down the road to the Cosmopolitan and RSA clubs.

"The reality is that many small business owners will find it physically and financially impossible to implement the policy, as they lack the space and resources to do so.

"This is an issue about personal choice. Why does this Government continuously try to dictate how people live? This policy, from righteous Labour politicians, is anti-business, and lacks any common-sense," Penny Webster said.

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