In NSW Smoking in a car with a child under the age of 16 is against the law. The NSW Public Health (Tobacco) Act 2008 creates an offence of smoking in a car with a child under 16 years of age in the vehicle. A $250 on the spot fine applies to the driver and any passenger who breaks the law . This is a good law – it protects public health and imposes a reasonable fine.
A draft ACT law – Smoking in Cars with Children (Prohibition) Bill 2011 – would create similar offence but is a bad law as it imposes a draconic penalty of $5500 . This is typical of extremist Green sponsored legisation. In November 2011 a new ACT Greens sponsored law will come into effect which imposes a $5500 thousand dollar fine on a retailer or his staff who provides a one plastic shopping bag to a customer.
What are the views of the Canberra citizenry on the Greens’s draconic legislation?
What draconic legislation will the Greens insist on next?
UPDATE: The Greens have been in touch to clarify that the Smoking in Cars with Children (Prohibition) Bill 2011 was tabled by the ALP Government, not the Greens.