Federal government pushes states to adopt Queensland’s crackdown model to combat illegal sales
The Australian federal government is encouraging states to adopt Queensland's enforcement model to combat the illegal tobacco trade. Data suggests that aggressive street-level enforcement in Queensland has successfully increased legal tobacco sales.
Why it matters
The strategy aims to disrupt criminal syndicates and black-market cigarette sales, which have been linked to rising gang violence in other states.
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Share A A A The federal government has thrown down a challenge to state premiers over the rampant illicit tobacco trade, dangling fresh cash and pointing to Queensland’s dramatic crackdown as a blueprint for the rest of the country.
Spurred by new data showing legal tobacco sales surged 55 per cent following a tough state enforcement blitz, Canberra is injecting an extra $2.7 million into Queensland’s model – a move designed as a sharp contrast to NSW and Victoria, where firebombings and gang violence linked to black-market cigarettes continue to escalate.
Illegal cigarettes are big business. Monique Westermann The results from the Queensland Liberal-National government under Premier David Crisafulli are being used to argue that aggressive state-level enforcement can disrupt the criminal market and drive smokers back to legitimate retailers.
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