New Australian law bans cigarette pack brands

Australia is set to create a world first when it banishes branding on cigarette packaging. Photo / Thinkstock

Australia is about to become the first country in the world to pass legislation requiring all cigarettes to be sold in plain packs devoid of branding.

The federal government's plain packaging legislation will be rammed through the Senate on Thursday after a limited debate.

The laws will require all tobacco to be sold in drab olive-brown packets from December 2012.

"If this legislation stops one young Australian from picking up a shiny, coloured packet and prevents them becoming addicted to cigarettes then in my view it will have been worthwhile," Labor senator John Faulkner told the upper house on Wednesday.

The coalition supports the main plain packaging legislation but not an associated trademarks bill.

However both will pass the Senate with the support of the Greens.

The legislation passed the lower house in late August.

Big tobacco has vowed to challenge plain packaging in the courts once the legislation passes parliament.

British American Tobacco Australia insists the commonwealth will be unlawfully acquiring its intellectual property rights and could have to pay billions of dollars in compensation.

- AAP