topic Re: Long overdue.... in Community Spirit

Long overdue....

twinkles**stars — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:43:44 GMT

LIGHTING up a cigarette in a national park in NSW is set to be outlawed as the State Government moves to stamp out a key cause of bushfires.

The ban will apply to picnic areas, campgrounds, beaches, lookouts and walking tracks in all 860 national parks, including the key tourist hotspot of Sydney Harbour National Park.

Motorists driving a through a national park will also be forced to stub out their cigarettes with the regulation also applying to local roads, although State and Federal roads are excluded.

The ban will only take effect from January 1 to allow for the implementation of a community education campaign before fines of $300 take effect.

Despite both fire authorities and the government acknowledging discarded cigarette butts contribute to the State’s bushfires, smoking has to date been permitted in all national parks.

Re: Long overdue....

twinkles**stars — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:44:48 GMT

But how will they police it?

Re: Long overdue....

sandypas — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:47:46 GMT

It's only common sense.

It will be hard policing it twinkles but the fine might put some off. They need to introduce a hefty fine for tossing lit butts out of car windows as well..

Re: Long overdue....

boris1gary — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:52:24 GMT

Got excited when I saw this in the media, though it was about banning shooting in our NSW national parks and state forests, but no seems smoking is worse for the animals than being shot by a gun toting tosser. Maybe all the rangers that lost their jobs years ago will be re-employed to police this.....or not.

Re: Long overdue....

twinkles**stars — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 21:55:25 GMT

I too dislike sport shooting of animals.

Re: Long overdue....

this-one-time-at-bandcamp — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 22:33:25 GMT

Miscreants will be put off smoking by a fine as much as texting drivers in Oregon have been put off by a $500 fine.

The state considered banning smoking on Oregon's beaches, but determined it would be impossible to enforce. They talked about limiting the trash, but so much is coming in from Japan, they deemed it a useless venture.

Re: Long overdue....

softail-joanie — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 22:45:43 GMT

They have no smoking in public laws around here but they don't get enforced, they have signs posted but it's just for show. In fact police who are supposed to enforce such laws themselves smoke in restricted areas, try pointing that out to them and they will blow the smoke in one's face and say "theres no one smoking here"

Smoking is rampant here, everyone does it so it's tolerated. I think it's an unwritten law that one must smoke and thats why I have so much trouble being a non smoker. Police see me not smoking and try to get me for something else, making things up if need be.

Re: Long overdue....

goldenjet16 — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 23:20:35 GMT

Joanie, C'mon with all due respect.... get you for what?? Sometimes you sound like we're being ruled under tyranny.

Re: Long overdue....

goldenjet16 — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 23:26:03 GMT

"I too dislike sport shooting of animals."

Hunting here in the states helps stabilize animal population. Deer for instance have a chance of starvation or being eaten by coyotes.

Re: Long overdue....

lloydslights — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 23:52:49 GMT

Hi gold...I think the word "sport" is important in twinkles post. Sport shooting (trophy hunting) is different to culling "in our neck of the woods". Culling is even abhorrent to some people who don't understand the reasons for it.

DEB

Re: Long overdue....

goldenjet16 — Sat, 15 Nov 2014 23:58:08 GMT

Gotcha.....

Re: Long overdue....

boris1gary — Sun, 16 Nov 2014 01:29:48 GMT

great response from a reader on the ABC site, couldn't have said it better

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-11-16/firefighters-still-battling-a-blaze-in-the-blue-mountains/5894714

I worked for NSWNPWS for 15 years, so I can say with some authority that this is just a headline grab by the Govt, and a brain fart by the Environment Minister trying to be seen to be doing something. Park Staff have an ever increasing workload dictated by continual cost cutting and Staff reductions. Who the hell is going to effectively enforce this ridiculous ban? By its very nature, people will be out in the "great outdoors" and tend to try & get away from other people so who/how can compliance be done. This is a stupid idea and a waste of time and a waste of space on here. If the Minister wants to REALLY do something positive to mitigate bushfire, a good start would be to adequately resource the Parks Service so they can carry out some decent fire management strategies.