Tobacco
Public notification of meetings between the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing and the tobacco industry
Article 5.3 of the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control requires Parties, in setting and implementing their public health policies with respect to tobacco control, to act to protect these policies from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry in accordance with national law.
The Guidelines for implementation of Article 5.3 were adopted by the Conference of the Parties (COP) in 2008 to assist Parties in meeting this obligation.
The purpose of the guidelines for implementation of Article 5.3 is to ensure that efforts to protect tobacco control from commercial and other vested interests of the tobacco industry are comprehensive and effective, recognising that that there is a fundamental and irreconcilable conflict between the tobacco industry’s interests and public health policy interests. Key recommendations include that Parties should interact with the tobacco industry only when and to the extent strictly necessary to enable effective regulation of the tobacco industry and tobacco products, and that any necessary interactions should be conducted transparently.
Consistent with the guidelines for implementation of Article 5.3, the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing wishes to advise that the following meetings have been conducted with the tobacco industry:
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
2013
11 February 2013 – Meeting with Richland Express
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
8 February 2013 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
7 February 2013 – Meeting with Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
6 February 2013 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing), Departmental representative and Scandinavian Tobacco Group
Issues Discussed- Regulation Impact Statement on Options to Further Implement Article 9 and 10 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
6 February 2013 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing), Departmental representative and Philip Morris Australia
Issues Discussed- Regulation Impact Statement on Options to Further Implement Article 9 and 10 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
5 February 2013 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing), Departmental representative and Richland Express
Issues Discussed- Regulation Impact Statement on Options to Further Implement Article 9 and 10 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
4 February 2013 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing), Departmental representative and Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Regulation Impact Statement on Options to Further Implement Article 9 and 10 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
4 February 2013 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing), Departmental representative and British American Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Regulation Impact Statement on Options to Further Implement Article 9 and 10 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.
2012
29 November 2012 – Teleconference with British American Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
29 November 2012 – Teleconference with Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
14 November 2012 – Teleconference with British American Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
7 November 2012 – Meeting with Richland Express
Issues DiscussedTop of page- Plain packaging compliance.
7 November 2012 – Meeting with Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
1 November 2012 – Meeting with Richland Express
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging and graphic health warning requirements.
31 October 2012 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging compliance.
30 October 2012 – Meeting with Philip Morris
Issues Discussed- Plain packaging and graphic health warning requirements.
12 October 2012 - Meeting with Philip Morris (Australia) Limited
Issues discussed- Plain packaging and graphic health warning requirements
14 September 2012 - Meeting with Philip Morris (Australia) Limited
Issues discussed- Plain packaging and graphic health warning requirements
9 May 2012 - Meeting with Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues discussed- Plain packaging and graphic health warning requirements
26 April 2012 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia and Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues discussed- illicit trade in tobacco products
4 April 2012 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and Imperial Tobacco Australia.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
4 April 2012 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and Richland Express.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
4 April 2012 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and British American Tobacco Australia.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
2 April 2012 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and Philip Morris Ltd.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
6 March 2012 – Australian Taxation Office Tobacco Industry Forum. Attendees included British American Tobacco Australia, Imperial Tobacco Australia, Philip Morris Australia, Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service.
Issues discussed- illicit trade in tobacco products
20 February 2012 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and British American Tobacco Australia.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
12 December 2012 – Teleconference between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and Scandinavian Tobacco.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
2011
9 December 2011 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and Philip Morris Ltd.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
22 November 2011 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and British American Tobacco Australia.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
21 November 2011 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and Richland Express.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco products
21 November 2011 – Meeting between Allen & Clarke Regulatory and Policy Specialists (contracted to the Department of Health and Ageing) and Imperial Tobacco Australia.
Issues discussed- Feasibility and value of disclosure of ingredients and emissions of tobacco productsTop of page
28 October 2011 – Meeting with The Pacific Cigar Company (Australia) Pty Ltd
Issues discussed- graphic health warnings
- plain packaging
- practical implementation issues
20 October 2011 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- cigarette specifications
- implementation times
- practical implementation/manufacturing issues
7 October 2011 – Meeting with Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- cigarette specifications
- implementation timelines
- practical implementation/manufacturing issues
- graphic health warnings
- illicit trade in tobacco products
9 September 2011 – Teleconference with Amcor, a global packaging company
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- status of legislation
- anti-counterfeiting measures
2 September 2011 – Meeting with Philip Morris
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- cigarette specifications
- implementation timelines
- manufacturing and packing process
- practical implementation/manufacturing issues
- consultation on non-cigarette tobacco product specifications
1 September 2011 – Teleconference with Richland Express
Issues discussedTop of page- plain packaging
- implementation process and timelines
- graphic health warnings
31 August 2011 – Meeting with ANZPAC, a packaging/printing company that prints packaging for British American Tobacco Australia and Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues discussed- printing process and timelines for cigarette packaging
31 August 2011 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- cigarette specifications
- implementation timelines
- manufacturing and packing process
- practical implementation/manufacturing issues
- consultation on non-cigarette tobacco product specificationsTop of page
23 August 2011 – Imperial Tobacco Australia
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- cigarette specifications
- implementation timelines
- practical implementation/manufacturing issues
- consultation on non-cigarette tobacco product specifications
- graphic health warnings
22 August 2011 – Meeting with htt Associates Pty Ltd, a public relations/lobbying firm representing The Pacific Cigar Company (Australia)
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- practical implementation issues for cigars
- consultation on non-cigarette tobacco product specifications
6 June 2011 – Meeting with Trojan Trading Pty Ltd
Issues discussed- plain packaging
2 June 2011 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia, Imperial Tobacco Australia and Philip Morris
Issues discussed- plain packaging specifications contained in exposure draft of Tobacco Plain Packaging Bill 2011
30 May 2011 – Meeting with Scandinavian Tobacco Group
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- importation and retail sale of cigars and pipe tobacco
- consultation on non-cigarette tobacco product specifications
24 May 2011 – Meeting with Richland Express
Issues discussed- Richland Express’ position in tobacco industry
- tobacco control initiatives
- plain packaging
23 May 2011 – Meeting with Club Czar, Cigarworld Australia and The Pacific Cigar Company (Australia)
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- importation and retail sale of cigars
- online sales of cigars
- graphic health warnings
13 April 2011 – Teleconference with Amcor, a global packaging company
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- illicit trade in tobacco products
- anti-counterfeiting measuresTop of page
3 March 2011 – Tobacco Industry Forum meeting. Attendees included British American Tobacco Australia, Imperial Tobacco Australia, Philip Morris, Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Customs and Border Protection Service
Issues discussed- illicit trade in tobacco products
2 March 2011 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia, Imperial Tobacco Australia and Philip Morris
Issues discussed- proposed anti counterfeiting measures for inclusion in the plain packaging design
18 February 2011 – Teleconference with Amcor, a global packaging company
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- illicit trade in tobacco products
- anti-counterfeiting measures
11 February 2011 – Teleconference with Amcor, a global packaging company
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- illicit trade in tobacco products
- anti-counterfeiting measures
14 January 2011 - Meeting with Philip Morris Limited, British American Tobacco Australia Limited and Imperial Tobacco Australia Limited
Issues discussed- illicit trade of tobacco products
- anti-counterfeiting measures for tobacco products
- plain packaging
- public consultation on plain packaging measure
2010
26 November 2010 - Meeting with Philip Morris Limited
Issues discussed- illicit trade of tobacco products
- anti-counterfeiting measures for tobacco products
- plain packaging
26 November 2010 - Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia Limited
Issues discussed- illicit trade of tobacco products
- anti-counterfeiting measures for tobacco products
- plain packaging Top of page
26 November 2010 - Meeting with Imperial Tobacco Australia Limited
Issues discussed- illicit trade of tobacco products
- anti-counterfeiting measures for tobacco products
- plain packaging
27 October 2010 - Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia (BATA)
Issues discussed- internet advertising
- plain packaging
- status of the proposed Preventative Health Agency
- retail display bans
- disclosure of cigarette ingredients Top of page
13 October 2010 - Meeting with Interconsult, an organisation which provides media and government advice to British American Tobacco Australasia (BATA)
Issues discussed- plain packaging
- consultation with the tobacco industry
- the price of tobacco
- illegal tobacco
- the government's response to the National Preventative Health Strategy
24 June 2010 - Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia (BATA)
Issues discussed- tobacco product disclosure
- the department's proposed project for the disclosure of tobacco ingredients and emissions data
- the voluntary agreement for the tobacco manufacturers to annually disclose to the department the ingredients in their cigarettes
- the status of the proposed Preventative Health Agency
- plain packaging
- banning retail displays Top of page
2009
3 August 2009 – Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia (BATA)
Issues discussed- Preventative health taskforce update
- Retail display bans
- Framework Convention on Tobacco Control – development of guidelines on articles 9 and 10
- Pricing/excise
15 June 2009 - Meeting with Philip Morris Limited (PML)
Issues discussed- Cigarette ingredients disclosure and ingredient disclosure feasibility study
- Draft protocol on illicit trade
- Tobacco excise taxation
- Plain packaging Top of page
19 May 2009 - Meeting with British American Tobacco Australia (BATA), Australian Customs and Border Protection Service, Attorney General's Department and the Department of Health and Ageing (DoHA)
Issues discussed- Health and tax policy
- Illicit tobacco trade
- Track and trace system for illicit tobacco
- Free trade zones
- Duty free
22 January 2009 - Meeting held with British American Tobacco Australasia (BATA)
Issues discussed:- Key points of the BATA submission in response to the Australian Government's Preventative Health Taskforce Technical Report 2 "Tobacco Control in Australia: Making Smoking History"
- How the Article 5.3 Guidelines will apply to the tobacco industry and
- Timeframe relating to the availability of the graphic health warnings evaluation, which was funded by the Department of Health and Ageing.
Page last reviewed: 12 February 2013
