Local IGA owners are pushing for fast-tracked laws in WA that would give landlords the right to evict dodgy retailers selling illegal cigarettes and vapes, saying they didn’t want “the deadly tobacco crisis” to creep into the State.
In a letter to Premier Roger Cook, the IGA WA board and Master Grocers Australia expressed their concern illegal tobacco operators continued to run stores in plain sight in the State.
New laws in Queensland, which came into effect last year, now give landlords the right to terminate leases linked to illicit cigarette sales.
Landlords are now also liable for prosecution if they knowingly lease properties to tenants selling illegal tobacco and vapes. Similar laws came into effect in NSW this month.
In their letter, the IGA WA board and MGA said Queensland had proved which tools were effective.
“There, closure orders come with a blunt message to landlords — we’ll give you the ability to evict illegal operators immediately, however if you don’t, you’ll face serious penalties, including heavy fines and potential jail time,” they said.
“The result has been dramatic. Hundreds of illegal tobacconists have been shut down in just six months.
“The evidence is overwhelming — when landlords are part of the enforcement regime, illegal shops stay closed.”
Under new tobacco laws in WA, retailers found with a large commercial quantity of cheap cigarettes or illegal vapes face closure orders and harsh penalties, including a maximum of 15 years jail.
The State Government in March vowed to introduce more legislation by the end of this year, which would empower landlords to evict dodgy retailers.
“We want the (the landlord enforcement law) now,” Renee Steenkamp, owner of Preston Street IGA in Como, said.
