Whole of government approach to combating illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes
Representatives from all levels of government have come together for the first time to collectively consider the best approach to tackle the threat of illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes on the Australian community.
More than 80 representatives from across law enforcement, health, compliance and regulatory agencies were brought together in Melbourne today (Wednesday 11 December 2024) for a symposium, United Front: Against the Illicit Trade of Tobacco and E-Cigarettes.
Hosted by the Interim Illicit Tobacco and E-Cigarette (ITEC) Commissioner, Erin Dale, and supported by Minister for Health and Aged Care, Mark Butler, and Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke, the symposium provided an opportunity for all domestic stakeholders to show their support for a cohesive response to the issue.
The group heard from the Therapeutic Goods Administration about health reforms, Australian Border Force about managing movements at the border, the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission about the threat environment, Victoria Police about serious and organised crime, SA Consumer and Business Services about the work of regulators, Australian Taxation Office and Treasury about economic impacts, and a panel discussion with state and territory health agencies about the balance between health and regulation.
Importantly, the group was able to share experiences and ideas to determine courses of action and deliverables for agencies, jurisdictions and across whole-of-government.
The Interim ITEC Commissioner is due to deliver the first report to government by 1 July 2025.
Quotes attributable to Interim ITEC Commissioner, Erin Dale:
“The Illicit Tobacco and E-cigarette Symposium has allowed us to develop a shared and common understanding of how these illicit products are entering Australia and reaching consumers, while spotlighting the areas of greatest opportunity to detect, deter and dismantle illicit trade.
“My key focus was to bring all stakeholders together to focus on a collaborative approach to address the issue of illicit tobacco and e-cigarettes in our community.
“It was fantastic to get key partners in a room together, and to agree on next steps and actions we can commit to taking forward collectively and within our jurisdictions to deliver real impact.
“We know that for criminal networks, this is not about tobacco or e-cigarettes, it’s about profit. We have heard loud and clear about the enormous profit being generated by organised crime groups, so a key challenge for us is to change this by determining how we make it less profitable and therefore less attractive.”
Media contact: media@abf.gov.au