Coalition accused of secretly giving big tobacco lobbyists private platform in parliament
A Senate committee chaired by Liberal senator Leah Blyth has been criticized for allowing tobacco company Philip Morris to present evidence in a closed session, breaking 15 years of public health precedent. Anti-smoking advocates and opposition politicians argue that the private hearing undermines transparency and exposes policy to industry influence. Health officials and public health groups stress that interactions with tobacco companies should be rare, necessary, and conducted openly.
- ▪The Senate committee held a closed-session hearing with Philip Morris representatives without publicly listing the session in its program.
- ▪Health Minister Mark Butler warned the committee against inviting tobacco industry representatives, citing Australia's obligations under a WHO tobacco control treaty.
- ▪Anti-smoking groups and opposition senators argue that tobacco companies are not neutral stakeholders and their involvement compromises public health decision-making.
- ▪Laura Hunter of the Australian Council on Smoking and Health stated that the tobacco industry's interests directly conflict with public health goals.
- ▪Lung Foundation CEO Mark Brooke highlighted the industry's long history of denying health harms, citing past testimony in the US Senate during the 1960s and 1970s.
Opening excerpt (first ~120 words) tap to expand
The Senate committee, chaired by Liberal senator Leah Blyth, has been accused of undermining 15 years of precedent by allowing a tobacco company to give evidence in a closed session in Canberra. Photograph: Leah Blyth - Liberal Senate Candidate Facebook PageView image in fullscreenThe Senate committee, chaired by Liberal senator Leah Blyth, has been accused of undermining 15 years of precedent by allowing a tobacco company to give evidence in a closed session in Canberra. Photograph: Leah Blyth - Liberal Senate Candidate Facebook PageSmokingCoalition accused of secretly giving big tobacco lobbyists private platform in parliament Exclusive: A Senate committee considering the illegal tobacco trade in Australia hears closed-session evidence from cigarette manufacturers Get our breaking news…
Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at the Guardian.
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