Cancer Society calls for smokefree outdoor dining to be mandatory

Cancer Society Auckland Northland is calling on Auckland Council to make smokefree outdoor dining mandatory. Photo / File

Members of the Cancer Society are pushing for the Auckland Council to make all outdoor dining spots completely smokefree.

The call comes as the Council prepares to present an updated version of its 2013 Smokefree Policy to the Environment and Community Committee next month.

The policy phased in smokefree public places including spaces such as parks and reserves, stadiums, train stations and platforms, bus shelters, ferry terminals, community facilities and sports fields.

Cancer Society Auckland Northland head John Loof said there was huge public support for the smokefree ban for outdoor dining, not just indoor dining.

"We know the public are behind this and anyone concerned that creating more smokefree places might not be enforceable or be bad for business only has to look back to when smoking stopped inside restaurants.''

Four years ago, more than 1300 submissions were received by the Council asking for outdoor dining to be smokefree.

Other figures, in a recent online poll, showed 84 per cent of people supported the move and for other public spaces to be made smokefree. About 5000 people took part in that survey, Loof said.

The Cancer Society's call comes as Australian states will have laws enforcing smokefree outdoor dining from August 1.

Loof said New Zealand should be getting on board with its Aussie cousins and not taking a "softly, softly'' approach.

"Queensland has had it in place for over 10 years,'' he said.

"It's time Auckland caught up.''

It has also gained support from a number of people in the restaurant business.

Merediths Restaurant owner Michael Meredith said it was "no-brainer'' that a smokefree al fresco environment was always a much better dining experience for all.

"Australia has some of the top dining destinations in the world and they're smokefree. It would be great to see New Zealand introduce the same policies,'' Meredith said.

Auckland's smokefree policy is due to be reviewed on August 8, with a bylaw to be considered on September 14.

An Auckland Council article released late last week said introducing smokefree plazas, civic squares and shared spaces would be a focus in its implementation plan.

"And from 2018, al fresco dining areas, public beaches and urban centres will also be smokefree,'' the article says.

The Council's manager for social policy and bylaws, Mike Sinclair, said the goal of its Smokefree Policy was to improve the health and wellbeing of communities by promoting smokefree outdoor public spaces and activities.