Ban smoking for next generation to ‘keep pace’ with UK and NZ, advocates tell Australian government

Health minister Mark Butler. Australia has recently introduced a comprehensive package of tobacco control reforms, but has not committed to smoking bans. Photograph: Lukas Coch/AAP

The health minister, Mark Butler, has said the Albanese government will monitor the impact of smoking bans to be imposed by New Zealand and now the UK, as health experts and advocates say pressure is on Australia to “keep pace” with those countries.

The UK prime minister, Rishi Sunak, on Wednesday announced his government aims to raise the smoking age by one year, every year, so tobacco would end up never being sold to anyone born on or after 1 January 2009, following New Zealand’s example with its world-first law introduced in December last year.