Cancer Council NSW has spoken with member for Orange Phil Donato and is planning on meeting with Labor’s candidate for the seat of Orange Luke Sanger to win their support for its Saving Life 2019 push.
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The campaign will call on the winner at March’s state election to vote to amend the Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2000 by introducing an annual retailer fee to discourage retailers from selling tobacco products, and ban tobacco vending machines.
It also aims to bring about an amendment to the Smoke-free Environment Act 2000 to ensure that people working or socialising in bars and clubs are protected from second-hand smoke.
The campaigns’s other two goals are removing junk food advertisements from state-owned properties, including public buses, and providing funding for public lymphoedema services.
Smoking places a huge burden on the community and on people’s lives, so the government must act now.
- Cancer Council Central West community programs co-ordinator Fiona Markwick
Mr Donato said he strongly supported the call for the funding for its treatment, and it was something he had already requested of the government.
“I requested health minister Brad Hazzard give consideration to providing equitable access to specialist lymphoedema services for the people living in the Orange electorate, which the residents of Bathurst and Dubbo presently benefit from,” Mr Donato said.
“I asked Mr Hazzard to consider opening lymphoedema clinics through which health and allied health staff could assist patients suffering from cancer and coping with lymphoedema.”
Mr Donato said he also supported the demand to protect workers at licensed premises from second-hand smoke.
“I am aware of bar and club workers, who never smoked, and who now have been diagnosed with lung cancer and other respiratory diseases through exposure to tobacco smoke in their workplaces,” he said.
“We now need to do more to protect workers from being exposed to second-hand smoke which can lead to fatal disease.”
Cancer Council Central West community programs co-ordinator Fiona Markwick said smoking was the reason behind 5500 deaths and 47,000 hospitalisations every year in NSW.
“New data shows that NSW smoking rates have flatlined since 2013,” she said.
“Smoking places a huge burden on the community and on people’s lives, so the government must act now.”
Community members can support the Saving Life 2019 campaign by signing an online postcard at canact.com.au
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