A smoke-free area is a public space where smoking is not permitted. This may include open air spaces and dining within the smoke-free area. It is illegal to smoke in a smoke-free area under Clause 3A.3 of the Activities Local Law 2009. There are also a number of areas where it is illegal to smoke under Victorian Government legislation. Visit the Health page for more information.

Smoke-free areas support the community in three main ways:

• Protect community from passive smoking
• Reduce uptake of smoking behaviour in children and young people by modelling non-smoking behaviour
• Provide a supportive environment for people who smoke who are trying to quit or have recently quit

There are currently eight smoke-free areas prescribed by the City of Melbourne including The Causeway, Howey Place, Block Place, Equitable Place, Goldsbrough Lane, QV Melbourne, The Tan and Princes Park running tracks.

Under Victorian Government legislation there are additional locations where smoking is not permitted, such as playgrounds, childcare centres, and outside certain building entrances. For more information visit the Health pages.

The City of Melbourne selects sites for consultation based on a number of criteria including location and total number of businesses, those with outdoor dining, adjoining buildings/properties, as well as existing smoking controls.

The City of Melbourne will engage with the key stakeholders, residents, building owners, businesses, sporting clubs and people who use the proposed areas, as well as the broader community to understand the potential impacts and benefits of making these areas smoke-free.

This will include face-to-face discussions, surveys and inviting people to provide feedback via Participate Melbourne, our online community engagement platform. A feedback report is then provided to Council for consideration when determining if the areas should become smoke-free.

At this stage we are engaging the community on proposed new smoke-free areas in the city. Smoking will continue to be legal outside designated smoke-free areas. For more information on where smoking not permitted, please visit the Health page.

At the conclusion of the engagement period a feedback report will be produced. The report will include recommendations on whether the proposed area should become smoke-free, based on the feedback received. We will consider all feedback, both for and against, when making decisions about prescribing smoke-free areas. You can register and have your say here on Participate Melbourne.

Councillors will review the feedback report and any submissions which may have been received. The issue is put to a vote, with a majority needed in order for an area to be prescribed smoke-free.

Any member of the public may attend these meetings and/or make a submission. If they wish to do this, they can also elect to address Council during the meeting.

Smoking is commonly recognised as the leading preventable cause of cancer and also responsible for many heart and lung diseases. According to the Cancer Council, a smoke-free environment is the only way to fully protect non-smokers from the dangers of second-hand smoke, as even small amounts of exposure to tobacco smoke can be harmful to people's health.

For more information about passive smoking and second-hand smoke visit the Quit website.

Prescribed smoke-free areas are enforceable under Clause 3A.3 of the Activities Local Law 2009 (Local Law). All areas prescribed smoke-free will be clearly signed indicating that it is not permitted to smoke in these areas. Fines may apply if a person fails to comply with these restrictions.

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