Government plans to mandate plain packaging for tobacco products next year have been pushed back by five months due to parliamentary delay in passing the landmark legislation, the Health Ministry said today.

 “Plain packaging legislation passed the House of Representatives in August 2011 but has yet to pass the Senate. Therefore the Government has revised the implementation timeframe to give industry enough time to make the changes required,” said Health Minister Nicola Roxon.
Originally planned for 1 July, 2012, the new proposed implementation date is 1 Dec., the ministry said in a statement. If the measure passes the upper house, which appears likely, it will make Australia the world’s first country to require all cigarettes be sold in drab brown packets with standardised branding.
Health warnings will be updated and increased from 30 per cent to 75 per cent of the front of the pack, as well as 90 per cent of the back.
In addition to pushing back the plain-packaging date, preliminary provisions slated for 1 Jan. will be scrapped and implementation of penalties for manufacturing non-compliant product delayed to 1 Oct. from 20 May.
The government also will seek to amend plain packaging legislation to allow rounded corners to be used on the inside lip of cigarette packs, the ministry said. (ci)