Why is City of Vincent investing in this project?

• It is an initiative in the City’s Public Health Plan 2020 – 2025
• Supported by Council
• 88 per cent of residents support the project as of December 2023
• The health and social costs that smoking imposes on the community are significant. In 2015-16, this was $136.9 billion
• This project is aligned to federal, international and state tobacco control legislation and strategic frameworks. Read more about the Global Strategy to Accelerate Tobacco Control

Our Public Health Plan showed 8 per cent of Vincent residents smoked tobacco, excluding vapers. While the dangers around smoking and second-hand smoking are well-known, vaping is becoming increasingly common - especially within the younger demographic - and the long-term effects remain unclear.

In light of the above, we formed the Smoke-Free Town Centres project.

Between May and August 2021, Vincent consulted the community, businesses and public health stakeholders on draft smoke-free boundaries for Leederville, Mt Hawthorn, North Perth, Beaufort Street and William Street. 61 per cent of participants supported the proposed smoke-free areas.

In addition to community support, North Metropolitan Health Service, Cancer Council WA and Australian Council On Smoking And Health (ACOSH) also supported the proposed smoke-free and vape-free areas.

As a result, Council approved five smoke-free areas at its 26 July 2022 Ordinary Council Meeting.

In May and November 2023, further surveys were conducted at the six-month and one-year milestones of the project, receiving support rates of 78% and 88%, respectively.

Why is it important to create smoke-free and vape-free town centres?

Creating Smoke-Free and Vape-Free Town Centres will have benefits for the entire community including:

• Protect the community from passive smoking and vaping
• Improved health and wellbeing of the community
• Less litter from cigarette butts, cigarette packets, vape cartridges 
• Positive role modelling for young people
• Heightened awareness of the health risks of smoking and second-hand smoke, vaping and second-hand aerosol
• Enhanced support for community members to cut down or quit
• Reduced fire risks

Where are the existing smoke-free and vape-free areas in the City of Vincent?

There are five smoke-free areas within the City of Vincent including parts of North Perth, Mount Hawthorn, Leederville, William Street and Beaufort Street.

Smoke-free areas Maps

There are also other locations where smoking is not permitted, such as outdoor dining areas, playgrounds, childcare centres, and outside certain building entrances. For more information, visit the Western Australian Department of Heath website.

Smoking and vaping have not been banned in all parts of the City of Vincent. Town centres with smoke-free and vape-free areas have been implemented. Maps of the smoke-free areas can be found above.

Other smoke-free and vape-free areas will also be considered as part of this project such as parks and other outdoor public spaces in the future.

What is a smoke-free and vape-free area?

• Any outdoor public space within the defined town centre boundaries
• Includes public footpaths and public open spaces such as parks (within town centre boundary)

How have the smoke-free and vape-free areas been identified?

The following considerations were made:

• Feedback from consultations with community members, local business and key stakeholders
• Town centre boundaries and size of the boundary
• Location of the entertainment strips
• Public open spaces
• Clear boundaries where smoke-free areas start and finish (e.g. main roads and intersections, prominent landmarks)

How will I know if I'm in a smoke-free and vape-free area?

All areas prescribed as smoke-free and vape-free are be clearly signposted indicating that it is not permitted to smoke or use an e-cigarette (known as vaping) in these areas. Signage on poles and bins will be visible in smoke-free and vape-free areas.

How will the City of Vincent promote and enforce no smoking/vaping in the smoke and vape-free areas?

• Education and awareness is the first approach – online campaigns, pop-up events, workshops, signage in various languages
• Town centres will feature clear signage including the internationally recognised symbol for no smoking and no vaping
• Working closely with local businesses operating within town centre boundaries
• Fines are the last resort and are enforceable under Local Government Property Local Law 2021. When issuing fines, a person’s safety and vulnerability and willingness to respond to education and history of compliance will be considered

Where will smokers/vapers go if they wish to smoke/vape in the town centres?

• If a smoker or vaper needs to smoke/vape, they do not have to go far to be outside of the smoke-free and vape-free area
• The smoke-free areas focus on main streets and do not include side streets

Will smoke-free and vape-free town centres have a negative impact on local businesses?

• Existing Australian and international literature shows smoke-free legislation does not result in venues closing, does not result in a loss in revenue and does not lead to declining business related to tourism
• The City is continuing to work with local businesses to manage the transition of footpath areas directly outside venues becoming smoke-free and vape-free areas. To find out more about how the City of Vincent is working local business visit the Smoke and Vape-Free Businesses webpage

Businesses factsheet

Does the smoke-free and vape-free town centres project affect a business that allows smoking and vaping on their private land?

• No. Businesses can still allow smoking and vaping in smoking zones on their private property
• Some businesses have chosen to become smoke-free and vape-free and the City of Vincent is happy to support businesses who are making this transition with signage and information
• To find out more about how the City of Vincent is working local business visit the Smoke and Vape-Free Businesses webpage

I’m concerned for street-present people and other vulnerable groups including those addicted to smoking. How will they be supported to comply with the new rules?

• The City is undertaking targeted engagement with community and social services who already support and are in regular contact with vulnerable individuals and groups

• This includes working with local pharmacies, homelessness services, youth services as well as promoting Quitline to help people plan and develop strategies to quit

• Quitline is a confidential advice and information service. You can call, text or chat online to Quitline. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community click here.
• More support resources are available here.

Has the City of Vincent banned e-cigarettes/vaping in smoke-free areas?

Yes. The City is treating e-cigarettes/vaping the same as smoking so therefore is also be banned in smoke-free areas. This is because all types of smoked tobacco products produce second-hand smoke which can be harmful. For more information and Fresh Facts about E-cigarettes and Vaping, click the link.

Has this been implemented elsewhere?

Yes. The City reviewed other cities that have implemented similar projects. Those include City of Melbourne, City of Hobart, City of North Sydney, City of Brisbane and City of Perth. Read more about the City of Melbourne's Smoke and Vape-Free Areas here. 

Where can I go and who can I talk to about quitting smoking or vaping?

Whether you want to quit or you’d like to help someone else quit, there’s several options available to support the quitting journey. Make Smoking History is a great website to start with.

There are many local pharmacies and chemists in the City of Vincent that are supportive of the Smoke-Free Town Centres project and each offers quitting support to smokers and vapers.

Support can look like a conversation and/or recommending products to assist in quitting. These pharmacies and chemists are here to help you:

• Pharmacy 777, Scarborough Beach Road Mt Hawthorn, 9444 1423
• Chemist Warehouse, Fitzgerald Street North Perth, 9228 8474
• Chemist Warehouse, William Street Northbridge, 9328 8202
• Leederville Community Pharmacy, Oxford Street Leederville, 9444 8219
• Beaufort Chemist, Beaufort Street Mt Lawley, 9328 7775
• Blooms The Chemist, Fitzgerald Street North Perth, 9328 5762
• Trinh’s Pharmacy, Bulwer Street Perth, 9328 7172
• SuperChem, Beaufort Street Highgate, 9228 9177
• Mt Hawthorn Community Pharmacy, Hawaiian’s Mezz Scarborough Beach Road, 9444 1625

Quitline is a confidential advice and information service. You can call, text or chat online to Quitline, or for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community click here.

More support resources are available here.

Is there any infringement or enforcement in place?

From 1 July, 2023, education and awareness will continue to be the primary approach but the City would be able to make enforcement decisions, subject to some key principles. These include repeated offences, without a willingness to respond to education and important considerations around the safety and vulnerability of the person.

Enforcement of the smoke-free and vape-free areas penalties of $100 and a maximum of $200.

How much will I be fined?

Under the Local Government Property Local Law 2021, it is an offence to smoke in a smoke-free area.

Penalties range from $100 to $200.

When will the smoke-free and vape-free areas be enforced?

From 1 July 2023, education and awareness will continue to be the primary approach and the City will be able to make enforcement decisions.

Under what circumstances will someone receive an infringement?

If a person is smoking or vaping within a smoke-free and vape-free area and is not willing to respond to education and does not stop their smoking behaviour, they may receive an infringement at the discretion of the Enforcement Officer.

Enforcement is the last resort in Vincent's effort to ensure that everybody is aware, educated and compliant with the smoke-free and vape-free areas.

Are there any exceptions to the enforcement of the smoke-free and vape-free areas?

A person’s safety, vulnerability and willingness to respond to education and history of compliance will be considered before an infringement is given out.

The City is undertaking targeted engagement with community and social services who already support and are in regular contact with vulnerable individuals and groups.

Officers enforcing the smoke-free and vape-free areas will implement an education first approach, and link in with support services where appropriate.

What does an education first approach to enforcement mean?

Enforcement Officers will ensure that people who are smoking or vaping in a smoke-free area will be made aware of the rules.

The person will be directed to an area outside of the smoke-free and vape-free boundary, or to cease smoking/vaping immediately. This gives the person an opportunity to comply with the new rules without an infringement.