Auckland Council rejects smoking ban

A policy banning smoking on the streets of Auckland has been rejected by the council. Photo / File

A policy banning smoking on the streets of Auckland has been rejected by the council.

Auckland Council had said it was considering banning smokers from congregating outside CBD buildings for a quick fix.

George Wood, the council's community safety forum chairman, told the New Zealand Herald the city had to "stop this practice of people going outside to smoke in CBD streets because they are not allowed to in their building".

He said the community safety forum was considering whether bylaws or education were the answer and would seek feedback from the public.

But today, the proposal was been rejected, Radio New Zealand reported.

Auckland District Health Board, which employs more than 10,000 people, was also looking at refusing to hire smokers.

The DHB went smoke-free five years ago and said the proposal would broaden its policy of not allowing patients, visitors and staff to smoke at any of its sites.

The Human Rights Commission said the DHB would be within its rights not to hire smokers because smoking was not specified in legislation as a banned reason for discrimination.

- NZPA