The City of Monash is planning on creating more smoke free environments through a Local Law now open for community consultation. Although Monash Mayor Greg Male told Neos Kosmos this Local Law will not impact Eaton Mall and other al fresco dining areas, he did say that the council is urging the Victorian Government to look into making all al fresco dining areas across Victoria smoke free zones.
“This is not smoking in the street, or smoking in al fresco,” he said about the smoking ban. “This is at a local level and the first step to having a smoke free environment in our city, but councillors are quite aware that we only have jurisdiction at certain levels.
“The next level being the al fresco dining … is at a state level. We are advocating to Premier Ted Baillieu to look at the health of our community and to produce legislation that matches the needs and the wants of the community. People are saying that they want to dine on the cafe street without the smoking.”
The community consulatation period for the City of Monash expires on July 15 and if banning smoking in all al fresco areas wins community support and goes ahead, it will immensly affect Greek businesses operating at Eaton Mall, Oakleigh.
Kostas Tangalakis, restaurant owner on Eaton Mall in Oakleigh, said the feedback he is receiving from the community is the total opposite to what the Mayor says and diners in Eaton Mall are not against smoking, in fact they want to stop the ban.
“I have not had one complaint since I’ve been in Eaton Mall, not one,” Tangalakis told Neos Kosmos about the feedback he’s received from all outdoor diners, smokers and non-smokers.
“The smokers in Eaton Mall are very responsible and they all smoke outside. Half of my shop is al fresco and we sometimes get a bit of smoke coming in but no one complains.” Tangalakis said that the “smoking ban will hit (businesses in Oakleigh) pretty hard and it will affect (Eaton Mall) quite drastically”.
“The information I have is that it’s going to be an outdoor ban all over Victoria. If that’s the case then it’s going to be similar to when smoking was banned indoors and everyone just had to accept it. But if Oakleigh is going to be used as a guinea pig, then it’s going to effect the mall. Half of our patrons are all smokers, I don’t know what is going to happen to them.”
Mayor Male said that the changes will be be difficult and “councillors are very mindful of the cultural heritage of all the people in their council and (they) will seek to find the right balance that will suit their needs but (they) can’t shy away from (the) public health and safety message”.
With the proposed Local Law currently up for community consultation, the City of Monash is urging the community to be vocal about their concerns. Tangalakis is also urging diners of Eaton Mall to have their say. “I’ve signed petitions to make sure that this smoking ban doesn’t happen,” said Tangalakis. “And if Monash Council is going to be the first to try it then we are definitely going to go up against it and I encourage all our customers to have their say.”
To have your say or view Local Law No 4, visit www.monash.vic.gov.au, mail your comments to PO Box 1, Glen Waverley, Victoria 3150 or email mail@monash.vic.gov.au