Jump to full article: Melbourne (Vic) Herald Sun (au), 2007-12-16
Author: Peter Rolfe
Intro: VICTORIA'S pub and club smoking ban has been dubbed "toothless" because not a single smoker has been fined or convicted in its first six months.
Anti-smoking groups have criticised the campaign, blaming poor policing and confusion over its rules for the lack of enforcement actions.
Victoria Police, the Brumby Government and councils are squabbling over who is responsible for investigating complaints over venues allowing people to light up and for snaring offenders.
Department of Human Services spokesman Bram Alexander said fewer than five establishments had been given $110 fines . . .
But the state's peak anti-smoking group, Quit, said many smokers were continuing to ignore the laws by lighting up in banned areas.
Quit executive director Fiona Sharkie said the law had good intentions but did not go far enough to catch individuals and venues breaking the law.
"If there are some registered pubs that are breaking the laws, people need to report them," she said.
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