Smokefree Law
About the law

Background to the 2003 smokefree law changes

The Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003 was first introduced to Parliament by Tukoroirangi Morgan, MP, in 1999. Judy Keall, MP, introduced the SOP (No. 148), which made a number of significant changes to the Bill in 2001. Steve Chadwick, MP subsequently took charge of the Bill.

The Bill and SOP were referred to the Health Select Committee in 2001. The Committee considered 397 submissions on the Bill during 2001 and 2002 before reporting back to Parliament on 18 March 2003.

The Bill and SOP were consolidated into a single Bill, with the title Smoke-free Environments Amendments Bill. It was a combination of the following:

• Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Amendment Bill 1999

• a Supplementary Order Paper (SOP) introduced by Judy Keall in 2001

• recommendations of the Health Select Committee following a process of public submissions and consultation 2001-2003.

View the Bill and the Health Committee report, as at March 2003


Between March 2003, when the Bill was reported back to Parliament, and November 2003, Parliament considered the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill, which passed into law on 3 December 2003, and received Royal Assent on 10 December 2003.


Hansard

You can read the Hansard reports of speeches made in the House in relation to the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill. In 2003, debates on the Bill took place on Members' Days (Wednesdays) 25 June, 30 July, 13 August, 17 September, 18 October 2003 and 12 November 2003.

Text of the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Bill 2003 and Health Select Committee Report on the Bill (March 2003).

The second reading of the Bill concluded on 12 November 2003. The following changes to the Bill were voted by Parliament during the Bill’s second reading:

• removal of individual smoking offences provisions
• addition of a ban against the under-18 sale of toy cigarettes
• technical amendments to clarify some of the commencement and tobacco product display provisions.

The following amendments to the Bill were not accepted by Parliament during the Bill’s second reading:

• exempted premises proposal to exempt about 200 named hospitality venues (mostly bars, pubs and taverns)
• ventilation proposal with a “minimum air quality standard” by 2006.

The Bill had a third reading on 3 December 2003 and received Royal Assent on 10 December, becoming the Smoke-free Environments Amendment Act 2003.

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In this section:

About the smokefree law

Overview of the 2003 smokefree law changes

Table of provisions and commencement dates

Background to the 2003 smokefree law changes

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Page last updated 27 May 2005