The Malinauskas Labor Government is boosting South Australia’s consumer watchdog – the agency responsible for the fight against illicit tobacco and vapes - with almost $10 million in additional funding.

Consumer and Business Services will receive funding for a further 16 FTEs over the next four years. 12 of these roles will be within enforcement and compliance which includes the illicit tobacco taskforce as well as additional resources in births, deaths and marriages and regulatory services.

This will allow for more officers to be out raiding and closing down illicit tobacco stores across the state as well as assisting with other enforcement and compliance priorities to protect South Australian consumers such as rogue tradies.

Separately, the Malinauskas Government has been relentless in its fight against the illicit tobacco trade, having invested $16.6 million for a new taskforce within Consumer and Business Services from 1 July last year.

This included an additional 22 FTEs funded in last year’s budget as our efforts to crack down on the escalating tobacco war ramped up.

Since the government’s crack down began, more than $31 million in illicit tobacco and vapes have been seized around the state.

Minister Michaels has also issued 36 short-term closure orders and had two long-term closure orders approved by the Magistrates Court.

Last week, the Australian Council on Smoking and Health gave South Australia’s response to tobacco and vapes an A+ with our state coming out on top of their national scorecard.

Quotes

Attributable to Stephen Mullighan

The State Government has made it a priority to crackdown on illegal tobacco and vapes.

This budget continues to invest in more resources for the state’s consumer watchdog, with $10 million to boost the compliance and enforcement team and other key areas of the agency.

Attributable to Chris Picton

South Australia is a leader in the fight against tobacco and vapes and we continue to invest to stamp out this public health scourge.

Our public health response to tobacco and vapes has recently been judged the best in the nation, receiving an A+ in a national scorecard ahead of any other state or territory.

We know that smoking and vaping are terrible for the health of South Australians and a burden on our health system. The strong action we are taking is putting South Australia at the forefront of strong public health protections.

Attributable to Andrea Michaels

The Malinauskas Government is strengthening South Australia’s consumer watchdog to better protect the community.

The illicit tobacco trade continues to be a threat and the additional funding in this year’s budget will allow for more staff on the ground to raid stores, seize products and shut them down.

It will also provide more resources to aid in protecting South Australian consumers more broadly including from rogue tradies.