Smokers in North Sydney may soon have to butt out in the city’s second-largest CBD - in what may be a national-first smoking ban.
North Sydney this week unanimously passed a motion to ban smoking in every public space in the Local Government Area.
“Cigarettes are not only bad for smokers - their cigarette butts litter our streets and the second hand smoke is detrimental to everyone’s health,” Mayor Jilly Gibson’s mayor minutes, tabled at Monday’s meeting, said.
“It is important that we create a safe environment for our community where everyone can enjoy our outdoor open spaces.
“After the successful implementation of no smoking zones around the LGA, I would like to see Council continue these efforts by making North Sydney one of the first smoke free CBDs in Australia.”
The City of Melbourne and the City of Hobart have already banned smoking in designated public areas, with Hobart banning smoking in any council-owned outdoor dining and drinking areas.
But it’s believed North Sydney could be Australia’s first ever smoke-free CBD.
North Sydney attracts more than 46,000 workers every weekday and is Sydney’s second largest CBD.
The motion still needs the approval of the community, but Councillor Gibson said she believed residents will back the push to butt out.
She even hopes to eventually make North Sydney the first smoke-free municipality.
“Why not try these big ideas?” Ms Gibson told AAP.
“Even if we reduce people’s smoking in the CBD by, let’s say, 50 per cent, that would be a huge result.”
If the community backs the push, the council won’t actually enforce the ban – instead, urging smokers to “operate on a self-regulated basis”.
