In a bold move to quell the raging turf war that has seen over 100 tobacco shops firebombed, the Victorian government has unveiled the nation’s toughest tobacco licensing scheme. The new regime, introduced to parliament on Tuesday, promises to weed out bad actors with rigorous “fit and proper person” testing, a dedicated regulator armed with sweeping enforcement powers, and massive penalties for those who dare to flout the law.
A Licensing Scheme With Teeth
Under the Tobacco Amendment (Tobacco Retailer and Wholesaler Licensing Scheme) Bill, aspiring tobacco retailers will need to jump through some serious hoops to obtain a license. The cost will vary based on business size, but all applicants must pass a strict “fit and proper person” test, with criminal history and known associates under the microscope. Those deemed unworthy will be swiftly rejected.
But the real muscle lies with the newly minted tobacco regulator. This dedicated watchdog will have an arsenal of powers at its disposal, including the ability to:
- Conduct searches of tobacco shops
- Suspend licenses of dodgy operators
- Seize illicit items
- Issue hefty penalties for breaches
- Share intelligence with police for further action
Premier Jacinta Allan didn’t mince words when unveiling the scheme, declaring it “the toughest laws anywhere in the nation to crack down on the illegal tobacco trade”. With the promise of “massive consequences” for rulebreakers, it’s clear the government means business.
Harsher Penalties on the Horizon
Those caught peddling illicit tobacco won’t just get a slap on the wrist. Under the new bill, individual offenders face fines of over $355,000 or up to 15 years behind bars. For businesses, the financial pain is even more acute – breaches could attract penalties exceeding $1.7 million.
“Understand that if you want to sell these products in the future, you have to be a fit and proper person,” warned Police Minister Anthony Carbines. “We’ll have details and intelligence to be able to provide to the regulator and whether people are allowed to have these businesses and run these businesses.”
The message is loud and clear: the government is coming for organized crime, and tobacco retailing is no longer a safe haven.
Bolstering Police Powers
Victoria Police will also receive a significant boost to their enforcement capabilities. The bill grants officers expanded search powers, enabling quicker raids and seizures of illicit products from retailers suspected of links to organized crime. With over 82 arrests and 200 search warrants executed since the formation of a specialist taskforce last October, police are poised to ramp up their offensive.
Opposition Supports Scheme, Questions Timing
While the opposition has voiced its support for the licensing scheme, it has questioned the government’s urgency in acting upon the 2021 recommendation. Shadow Minister for Consumer Affairs Tim McCurdy expressed concern that “more tobacco shops are going to burn week in, week out” as the government works to establish the regulator by mid-2025.
The government aims to pass the bill through parliament by year’s end, setting the stage for a concerted crackdown on the illicit tobacco trade and the firebombing epidemic that has gripped the state. Only time will tell if these tough new measures will be enough to stub out the violence and restore order to Victoria’s embattled tobacco retail sector.
