03/10/2006
NEWS STORY
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A total ban on all tobacco advertising - for all sports - came into effect on Sunday (October 1) in Australia.
As from Sunday, the Australian Health Minister no longer has the discretion to grant international and cultural sporting events an exemption from the country's tobacco advertising prohibition laws.
The original tobacco sponsorship ban came into force in 1992, however, the federal health minister had the power to exempt certain international events, including the Australian Grand Prix.
With the total ban in force there is concern as to where race promoters will find the required funding.
With the ban imminent, organizers of the MotoGP event at Phillip Island brought the event forward by a month in order to beat the ban.