Retailer opposes packaging plan

An Empire Bay retailer has joined the Alliance of Australian Retailers to fight the Federal Government's plan to introduce plain packaging for cigarettes.

Empire Bay Liberty Service Station owner Mr Craig Glasby said the proposed legislation was "the last straw" after tax hikes and display bans.

He said plain packaging would no doubt make business harder.

"We've seen this movie before and we know how it ends: another letter from the government, another compliance burden, more cost, more disruption," Mr Glasby said.

"These Canberra brainwaves hit our businesses like earthquakes.

"It makes it harder to make ends meet and keep people employed.

"The Alliance believes that reducing smoking is good for the community, but good policy requires more than good intentions.

"There is no evidence that it will do anything at all to stop people smoking.

"It will just stop them buying from small retailers likes ours in favour of big chain stores and the black market which will flourish.

"This untested, unworkable scheme cooked up by faceless Canberra bureaucrats will usher in a gold-rush for illicit tobacco dealers.

"They should stick to what we know works: education and prevention programs that encourage people to quit."

The Alliance of Australian Retailers represents around 10,000 small businesses across the country.

Mr Glasby said small businesses were fed up with excessive regulation that was making it harder for small business to remain viable.

"We have never united in this way before, but we have concluded that enough is enough," Mr Glasby said.

"We employ thousands of Australians and live at the heart of Australian communities large and small.

"We are sick of tired of state and federal governments using us as guinea pigs.

"It's hard enough to makes ends meet without the government making policy on the run and making us pay the price."

Press release, 12 Aug 2010 Leith Thomas, PQC