Councillor Disappointed after Smoking Ban Trial Fails to Gain Support

 The man proposing a 12 month trial smoking ban in Wagga Wagga's CBD says the business lobby is wrong to think the ban would cost trade.

On Monday, Wagga Wagga City Council (WWCC) rejected the proposed trial, instead voting to implement the state's July 2015 policy on managing outdoor smoking.

The meeting received a petition opposing the trial.

Councillor Greg Conkey says there was strong support for the ban, but he doubts there will be a change in the vote when it comes back to council in a fortnight.

"I don't think so unfortunately," he said.

"I think the business lobby got to a number of the councillors and a number of business groups approached certain councillors, and I think they were swayed by their arguments, and their argument was they believe they would lose business which I dismiss.

"I don't believe that's a strong argument whatsoever."

Councillor Conkey does not believe the new policy managing outdoor smoking, will stop offenders.

"People cannot smoke within, I think it's four metres of an entrance to a shopping mall," he said.

"People are no longer allowed to smoke in alfresco dining areas associated with hotels, already there's a ban in place about smoking within 10 metres of alfresco dining areas within the main street of Wagga.

"Problem is that people are smoking cheapest Camel Full Flavour http://www.cigarettestime.com/camel/full-flavour, and they walk straight past these areas, certainly within 10 metres, certainly within one or two metres.

"That's an issue which would have been resolved with this motion."

Councillor Conkey says Wagga Wagga City Council's missed an opportunity to take a lead on the issue in New South Wales.

He says the smoking ban proposal was to make the city safer, especially in Wagga, which he dubs the asthma capital of Australia.

Councillor Conkey says it is likely Wagga will eventually be forced by the state to enact a ban on smoking, when it could have been first.

"Wagga led the charge some years ago, in 2007 when Wagga City Council banned smoking within 10 metres of children's playgrounds," he said.

"The state government subsequently picked that up.

"The City Council also banned smoking within council controlled alfresco dining areas, and again the state government picked that up."