Building entrances
Indoor smoking bans inevitably force people to smoke outside. Therefore the number of people who tend to congregate immediately outside the entrances of buildings can be significant.
Smoke drift can occur from these outdoor areas to indoor areas, and people entering and exiting from public buildings through these areas continue to be exposed to tobacco smoke.
Since 1 January 2005 it is illegal to smoke anywhere within 4 metres of a non-residential building entrance.
This rule applies to the entrances of places like offices, banks, non-licensed food premises, BYO restaurants, snack bars and cinemas.
The rule does not apply to:
- residential premises (ie. entrances to homes and multi-unit residential accommodation)
- liquor licensed premises with a general, club or special (casino) licence
- the following pedestrian shopping malls:
Brisbane
- Queen St, between Edward St and George St
- Albert St, between Burnett Lane and Elizabeth St
- Duncan St, Fortitude Valley, between Wickham St and Ann St
- Brunswick St, Fortitude Valley, between Wickham St and Ann St
Ipswich
- Nicholas St, between Limestone St and Brisbane St
- Nicholas St, between Brisbane St and the north end of Nicholas St
- Union St
Gold Coast
- Cavill Ave, Surfers Paradise, between the Esplanade and Orchid Ave
- Victoria Ave, Broadbeach, between Old Burleigh Road and the vehicular access point to the underground car parking area
Toowoomba
- Bell St, between Ruthven St and Neil St
Townsville
- Flinders St, between Stanley St and Denham St
Cairns
- Lake St, between the vehicular turnaround points
- Shields St, between the vehicular turnaround points
Also, the rule does not apply to smokers walking or driving past an entrance, or when the entrance is closed for general access to the building.
Although penalties are to the smoker, building owners and occupiers should follow the full intent of the new laws and ensure entrances to their buildings are smoke-free.
For details on this new law go to the Tobacco and Other Smoking Products Act 1998.
This page last updated:
July 2006
Review date: October 2006
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