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Smoke Free Public Places

Smoke-free-map-in-Ipswich Ipswich residents and visitors expect a clean and healthy environment. Ipswich City Council has designated NEW smoke-free public places to make the city a cleaner and healthier place to live and visit.

From 1 February 2013, smoking will no longer be permitted in the following public places:

d'Arcy Doyle Place
Ipswich Mall
Union Place
within 4 metres of any taxi rank sign, taxi zone or a seat or shelter associated with a taxi rank or taxi zone across the city
within 4 metres from any bus stop sign, bus zone or a seat or shelter associated with a bus stop or bus zone across the city

As a reminder, signage will indicate most smoke-free areas.

Request for Smoke Free Poster

Are you a local business located near a bus stop or taxi rank, or in the Ipswich Mall?

Click here and complete the form to request a smoke-free poster and show your support.

Request for No Smoking signs

The following signs are available free of charge from Queensland Bookshop.
Visit http://www.bookshop.qld.gov.au/

No-smoking

Enforcing smoke-free areas

Ipswich City Council officers will be authorised to carry out enforcement in the smoke-free areas and will be assisted by Queensland Police. On the spot fines will be issued if necessary. We thank you for helping to make our community a cleaner and healthier place to be.

State Legislation

It is an offence to smoke:

within 10 metres of children's outdoor playground equipment situated at a place that is ordinarily open to the public; or
within 4 metres of an entrance to a non-residential enclosed place (for example, offices, banks, non-licensed food premises, BYO restaurants, snack bars and cinemas)

The Ipswich City Council is committed to maintaining a clean, healthy and attractive city for the benefit of everyone. Help us to make our community a cleaner and healthier place to be.

Help to quit smoking

For information on how to quit smoking please see Council's website for related links and resources.

For more information on the State Government legislated smoke-free areas visit: www.health.qld.gov.au/tobaccolaws/outdoor/default.asp

Frequently Asked Questions

Who enforces Queensland's tobacco laws?

Did you know that different tobacco laws in Queensland are enforced by different governments? Both State Government and now your Local Government (Ipswich City Council) have a responsibility in enforcing relevant regulations.

What does State Government enforce?

Queensland State Government Environmental Health Officer's (EHOs) enforce the laws in public places about no-smoking:

4 meters from non-residential enclosed places,
On patrolled beaches and prescribed outdoor swimming areas,
10 meters from children's playground equipment.
Within enclosed places (e.g. non-residential buildings)
At outdoor eating and drinking areas

A copy of the legislation enforced by Queensland Health EHOs, the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998, can be found at http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/OQPChome.htm

What does Local Government enforce?

With the new local law being introduced, Ipswich City Council's Environmental Health Officer's (EHOs)will regulate smoking in pedestrian malls and public transport waiting points (bus stops/zones, and taxi ranks/zones on local and state controlled roads) described above

How do the EHOs enforce these regulations?

Council and State Government EHOs undertake proactive patrols of areas and may issue on-the-spot fines and directions as required. EHOs need to be present when the breach occurs to issue a fine. However locations where breaches may have occurred can be collated by Council and State Government so that these locations can be investigated as part of any subsequent proactive patrol.

How much are the fines?

For State Government controlled matters the fines include:

$220 - 4 meters from non-residential building entrances,
$220 - 10 meters from children's playground equipment.
$220 - smoking in an enclosed place
$220 - smoking at an outdoor eating and drinking area
$220 - failure to stop smoking in one of the above circumstances when directed by an authorised person.

For Local Government controlled areas:

$110 - smoking in a designated non-smoking area (pedestrian mall and public transport waiting points)
$220 - refusing to cease smoking upon direction from a Council EHO.

Reporting a possible breach of State Government controlled areas:

If you wish to report a person or business that may be in breach of tobacco laws (smoking near a building entrance, or near children's playground equipment), you have two options:

Complete the online form and hit "submit": www.health.qld.gov.au/tobaccolaws/penalties/breach.asp
Telephone the Government call centre on 13 QGOV (13 7468)

Reporting a possible breach of Local Government controlled areas:

If you have a concern about smoking occurring at a pedestrian mall or public transport waiting point, contact Ipswich City Council on (07) 3810 6666 for more information about local laws or to report a possible breach.

PLEASE NOTE: Council EHOs cannot issue fines or notices after the event; they must be present when the breach occurs. However, Council will obtain details of possible breaches so that these locations will then be investigated by EHOs during their next proactive patrol.

Download our Smoke Free Public Places brochure (PDF, 1.1 mb).

Last Updated 1 Mar 2013 |

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