Smoke Ban Extinguished for Profits

The Australian Hotels Association is using a WA Government decision to allow smoking in a casino’s high rollers room to call for relaxed smoking laws across the hospitality industry.

The Gallop Government gave the green light to smoking in Burswood Casino's high rollers room after the casino complained of lost profits.

AHA executive director Bradley Woods said the decision obliged the government to consider applications from other venues which also claimed a financial disadvantage because of smoking laws.

But Liquor, Hospitality and Miscellaneous Union state secretary Dave Kelly said the decision failed workers.

"It is based on the Casino's bottom line and nothing else," Kelly said. "The Premier and the Leader of the Opposition will have to live with that."

Kelly said the guarantee measures would be used to minimise the effect of smoke was a "band aid approach".

"There's no safe smoking environment."

Leading Perth children's respiratory doctor Peter Sly warned of the dangers to workers from passive smoke in places such as Burswood Casino.

Dr Sly said the environment could damage workers' fertility and unborn children.

"We've shown from data in Perth that 30 per cent of asthma at the age of six can be directly attributed to smoking, particularly during pregnancy, and even women who give up before they get pregnant still pass on half the risk of current smokers," he said.

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Last modified: Tuesday, 15-Nov-2005 20:37:35 EST