Tobacco Documents Online

3.2 INrGTAB WORKSHOP, 19-22 SEPTEMBER 1983 MARKETING FREEDOMS (FOLLOWS SESSION ON MOBILISING ALLIES) PROTECTING MARKETING rkEEDOMS - COORDINATED ACTION IN AUSTRALIA by John Dollisson I1.2U-1i.35 t1U-15 MINUTES) GOOD MORNING CHAIRMAN, LADIES AND GENTLEMEN. THIS MORNING I HAVE BEEN ASKED TO BRING YOU THE BAD NEWS FROM AUSTRALIA ON MARKETING FREEDOMS AND HOPE THAT THIS AFTERNOON I CAN BRING YOU THE GOOD NEWS THAT AUSTRALIA HAS WON ITS SECOND RACE IN THE AMERICAS CUP. INTRODUCTION AND PERSPECTIVES THE AUSTRALIAN TOBACCO INDUSTRY IS FACING AN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON ITS MARKETING FREEDOMS AS PART OF A BROADER CAMPAIGN TO REDUCE TOBACCO CONSUMPTION. . BILLS OR DRAFT LEGISLATION TO BAN TOBACCO ADVERTISING ARE BEING CONSIDERED BY THE WA, SA, TASMANIAN AND ACT PARLIAMENTS. MEANWHILE THE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH MINISTERS ARE DRAFTING LEGISLATION TO CONTROL CERTAIN MARKETING ELEMENTS AND HEALTH WARNINGS FOR TOBACCO PRODUCTS BASED ON THE BRITISH CODE. MASSIVE PUBLIC EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS ARE RUNNING IN NSW, WA AND SA AND SAVAGE TAX INCREASES HAVE BEEN IMPOSED ON WA, SA AND TASMANIAN SMOKERS WITH OTHER STATE BUDGETS STILL TO BE BROUGHT DOWN. WHY. THE AUSTRALIAN POLITICAL SCENE HAS CHANGED OVER THE LAST 12 MONTHS. THE rEDERAL, WA, SA, VICTORIAN GOVERNMENTS HAVE CHANGED FROM LIBERAL/CONSERVATIVE TO LABOR/SOCIALIST GOVERNMENTS - 4 OF AUSTRALIA'S 6 STATES ARE NOW LABOR AND 1 OF OUR 2 TERRITORIES IS LABOR. ONLY QUEENSLAND AND TASMANIA ARE CONSERVATIVE BUT QUEENSLAND HAS AN ELECTION IN SEPTEMBER AND COULD CHANGE TO LABOR.

-2- ALL AUSTRALIA'S LABOR GOVERNMENTS HAVE ON THEIR PARTY PLATFORMS TO REDUCE TOBACCO PROMOTION INCORPORATED BY YOUNG LABOR MOVEMENTS. WHILST THIS IS NOT THEIR PRIORITY IT ONLY TAKES ONE MP TO TAKE AN INITIATIVE IN THIS AREA, ESPECIALLY A HEALTH MINISTER, AND THE PARTY HAS TO FOLLOW - THE ANTIS KNOW THIS AND ARE EXPLOITING IT. LAST YEAR THE INDUSTRY FACED ITS FIRST SUBSTANTIAL BILL TO BAN TOBACCO ADVERTISING, A POORLY ADAPTED VERSION OF THE SINGAPORE DILL OF 1970. THIS WAS PASSED IN THE LOWER HOUSE IN WA AND NARROWLY DEFEATED IN THE UPPER HOUSE. UUR RESPONSE, WHILST RESULTING IN THE BILL'S DEFEAT, WAS NOT WELL COORDINATED AND WAS VERY MUCH A LAST MINUTE REACTION. A PRESS CAMPAIGN WAS RUN AND JOINT REPRESENTATIONS MADE BY THE TOBACCO, ADVERTISING AND SPORTING BODIES AD CAMPAIGN LAST YEAR IDENTIFIED THE NEED FOR A WELL PLANNED AND COORDINATED CAMPAIGN SHOULD SUCH A BILL REAPPEAR. dY WAY OF BACKGROUND AND TO PUT THE ANTI-TOBACCO PRESSURES INTO PERSPECTIVE I HAVE SOME SLIDES TO SHOW YOU THE FLAVOUR OF THE ANTI-SMOKING EDUCATION CAMPAIGNS BEING USED IN AUSTRALIA - NSW, VICTORIA, SA, WA AND ACT. THE TIA COMPLAINED ABOUT TWO TELEVISION ADS WHICH WERE A BLATANT MISREPRESENTATION OF FACTS TO PLACE SOME SENSE OF BALANCE INTO THE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS RUNNING THESE CAMPAIGNS - ONE AD WAS REMOVED AND THE OTHER CLASSIFIED AS AN ADVOCACY AD - OPENING UP THE OPPORTUNITY FOR THE TIA TO RUN ADVOCACY ADS. THE TIA ALSO RESPONDED EXPRESSING ITS POINT OF VIEW WITH THE FIRST OF A SERIES OF ADS.

-3- DURING THE WINNIPEG CONFERENCE, WITH A HIGH REPRESENTATION BY AUSTRALIA, A TELEGRAM WAS SENT TO THE WA GOVERNMENT COMPLIMENTING THEM ON THEIR EFFORTS TO CONTROL SMOKING AND MEMBERS OF THE INTERNATIONAL ANTI-SMOKING MOVEMENT ARE IN WA - MIKE DAUBE, SIMPSON AND A NORWEGIAN REPRESENTATIVE AT PRESENT - APPARENTLY AT THE EXPENSE OF THE WA GOVERNMENT. COORDINATION IN ACTION I VOLUNTARY ADVERTISING CODE AUSTRALIAN HEALTH MINISTERS' CONFERENCE PREPARED WITHOUT INDUSTRY CONSULTATION A REVISED DRAFT VOLUNTARY CODE FOR TOBACCO ADS. IN RESPONSE THE TOBACCO AND ADVERTISING INDUSTRY TOGETHER WITH THE MEDIA COUNCIL <ESPONDED WITH A VIEW TO OPEN UP A CONSULTATIVE PROCESS BASED ON THE EXISTING CODE AND INCLUDING SOME CONCESSIONS IN THE AREA OF JUVENILES. THIS WAS REJECTED BY THE MINISTERS WHO WILL ONLY DISCUSS THEIR CODE AND NOW THEY HOPE TO DRAFT LEGISLATION ON SOME MARKETING ASPECTS AND HEALTH WARNINGS. THE INVOLVEMENT OF THE MEDIA COUNCIL AND ADVERTISING INDUSTRY APPEARS TO HAVE KEPT THEM AWAY FROM THE VOLUNTARY CODE AND PACIFIED THEIR EFFORTS. II SOUTH AUSTRALIA A PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL WAS INTRODUCED INTO THE SA UPPER HOUSE EARLIER THIS YEAR. FOLLOWING REPRESENTATIONS FROM THE TOBACCO INSTITUTE, SPORTING BODIES AND THE ADVERTISING BODIES - AFA, AANA AND OAAH THE BILL WAS WITHDRAWN. THIS LEAFLET DISTRIBUTED THROUGH RETAILERS ASSISTED. THE t3ILL HAS BEEN REINTRODUCED AND SIMILAR REPRESENTATIONS ARE BEING MADE. THE GOVERNMENT MAY SUPPORT WITH AMENDMENTS SO A HEAVIER CAMPAIGN MAY BE NECESSARY. PUBLIC OPINION DATA, AD CAMPAIGNS, ETC

-4- III TASMANIA A FURTHER PRIVATE MEMBER'S BILL IN THE UPPER HOUSE -LOW KEY REPRESENTATION BY THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY TO THE UPPER HOUSE AND COMMITMENT BY THE TASMANIAN CONSERVATIVE GOVERNMENT NOT TO SUPPORT THE BILL. THE BILL WAS WITHDRAWN. OTHER INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS WERE PREPARED TO GO INTO ACTION (IF NECESSARY). A IV AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY FOLLOWING A REQUEST FOR PUBLIC SUBMISSIONS ON SMOKING IN THE ACT THE CAPITAL TERRITORY HEALTH COMMISSION BELIEVE THEY HAVE A MANDATE TO IMPOSE TIGHTER CONTROLS IN THE ACT. A BILL HAS ALSO BEEN INTRODUCED INTO THE SENATE TO BAN ADVERTISING IN THE ACT (BY A WA SENATOR HEAVILY INVOLVED IN THE WA CAMPAIGN). A SUMMAnY OF PUBLIC ATTITUDES IS BEING PREPARED AT PRESENT AND REPRESENTATIONS ARE BEING MADE BY TOBACCO, ADVERTISING AND SPORTING BODIES. THE BILL HAS BEEN GIVEN A LOW PRIORITY IN SENATE AND INTRODUCED IN THE ACT HOUSE OF ASSEMBLY - UNLIKELY TO SUCCEED BUT PRESSURE MUST BE KEPT UP. V WESTERN AUSTRALIA WESTERN AUSTRALIAN GOVERNMENT (PUSHED BY THE HEALTH MINISTER) ANNOUNCED A FIVE-PkONGED ATTACK ON SMOKING IN WA COMMENCING WITH A 1$O% TAX INCREASE, A$b MILLION ANTI-SMOKING CAMPAIGN OVER 3 YEARS EQUAL TO $l0-IS MILLION PER CAPITA P.A. IN SAN FRANCISCO, INCREASED FINES FOR SALES OF CIGARETTES TO MINORS AND A BAN ON TOBACCO ADVERTISING AND PkOMOTION. WE SUPPORTED THE GOVERNMENT CAMPAIGN AS FAR AS IT RELATED TO CHILDREN.

-5- FROM REPRESENTATIONS MADE TO THE GOVERNMENT AND OPPOSITION THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, BASED ON THE EXPECTATION THAT A BILL WOULD BE INTRODUCED, THE INDUSTRY WAS WELL AWARE THAT THE GOVERNMENT WAS DETERMINED TO PROCEED - PUBLIC OPINION AGAINST THEM, SPORTS BODIES AGAINST THEM, UNION REPRESENTATIVES AGAINST THEM - WITH TAX, - SO TAX CAMPAIGN. ALSO PETITION PRESENTED TO PARLIAMENT WITH 32,000 SIGNATURES COLLECTED IN 2 WEEKS AND ALL LOCAL EMPLOYEES OF CAMPANIES WRITING TO iHPS. THE TAX BILL WAS PASSED. SET SCENE FOR ADVERTISING BILL - EVEN THE PRESS WAS IN OUR FAVOUR BASED ON CIVIL LIBERTY ARGUMENT. A MAJOR CAMPAIGN CONDUCTED BY THE TIA WAS THEN COMMENCED TO DEFEND OUK ADVERTISING FREEDOMS - ALL KEY BUSINESS AND SPORTS CONTACTED IN WA TO SUPPORT AD CAMPAIGN. REPRESENTATrONS AND MEDIA APPEARANCES MADE BY AFA, OAAA, AANA, APB,CINEMA ADVERTISERS, RETAILERS, WHOLESALERS, SPORTS BODIES. COMPASS RAN THEIR OWN CAMPAIGN. PRESS KITS PEPARED AND PRESENTED TO ALL KEY PRESS AND MEDIA PERSONNEL. INDUSTRY CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED AND SUPPORTED BY TIA AND 20 OTHER BODIES INCLUDING TOBACCO WORKERS UNION, ALL ADVERTISING BODIES, SPORTING BODIES AND MANY LOCAL WA BUSINESSES. CAMPAIGN IN PRESS, TV AND RADIO COMMENCED TWO WEEKS AGO. THE BILL IS IN THE LOWER HOUSE THIS WEEK AND WILL PASS - WE HOPE IT WILL NOT PASS IN THE UPPEh HOUSE. A LEGAL CASE IS AVAILABLE AND PREPARED SHOULD THE BILL BE PASSED.

-6- CONCLUSION FOUR BILLS INTRODUCED IN AUSTRALIA WITHIN A MONTH - COORDINATED BY ANTIS. . WE MUST BE BETTER COORDINATED TO WIN THE DAY . COORDINATION WILL NOT HAPPEN ON ITS OWN . ADVERTISING AND OTHER RELATED BODIES HAVE OTHER CONCERNS AS WELL AS TOBACCO . THEREFORE COORDINATION AND LEAD HAS TO COME FROM THOSE MOST INVOLVED, I.E. TI OR NMA . THIS MAY INVOLVE GREATER PRESSURE AND ASSISTANCE TO ENSURE COORDINATION - TO SOME DEGREE HAND HOLDING IS REQUIRED - WHO TO SEE, MEDIA APPOINTMENTS, FUNDS, ETC. tiUT . THE SEPARATE IDENTITY OF THE TOBACCO INDUSTRY AND ADVEkTISING BODIES MUST BE MAINTAINED . THEIR CREDIBILITY IS FAR BETTER THAN OURS EVEN THOUGH THEY USE SIMILAR MESSAGES . THEY BRING EXPERTISE AND OTHER PARTIES TO SOME DEGREE INCACCESSIBLE TO TOBACCO COMPANIES INTO THE ACT . THE COORDINATION SHOULD NOT BE RESTRICTED TO ADVERTISING BODIES - OTHERS CAN HAVE TREMENDOUS INFLUENCES, E.G. SPORTS BODIES, LOCAL BUSINESS, RELATED INDUSTRIES IN WA INCLUDING RETAILERS, NEWSAGENTS, WHOLESALERS, DISTRIBUTORS, HOTELS ASSOCIATIONS, CHAMBERS OF COMMERCE, CONFEDERATION OF AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY, SIGNCRAFTSMENS ASSOCIATION, UNIONS, TO NAME A FEW. THE ESSENTIAL PREREQUISITE FOR ALL THIS COORDINATION IS EFFECTIVE COMMUNICATION - KEEP THESE BODIES INFORMED OF ALL POTENTIAL THREATS AND PREPARE CAMPAIGNS ETC TO MEET IMPORTANT TRENDS.