Another blow for Ipswich smokers

HOT on the heels of Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's plan to bring in tobacco excise increases comes more bad news for Ipswich smokers.
Interim smoking laws that were brought in from February 1 have now been made permanent, with smokers no longer permitted to light up in pedestrian malls and at public transport waiting points in Ipswich.
Planning and development committee chairperson Cr Paul Tully said the council had taken into account community views when making the decision.
"The council had received a lot of complaints over the years from people using the main Ipswich mall and around bus stops and taxi ranks," he said.
"It is not a ban on smoking. The law is that you can't smoke in the mall or within 4m of a bus stop or taxi rank.
"We have had some very positive feedback over the last six months and the law has now been made permanent."
Smoking is banned at the mall on Union St and the mall on Nicholas St, between Limestone St and Brisbane St and between Brisbane St and the north end of Nicholas St.
Ipswich City Council has also introduced measures to combat rogue shopping trolleys in streets, parks and waterways.
Ipswich will become the first city in Queensland to require supermarkets and other retailers to implement an automatic wheel-lock system on trolleys.
Ipswich retailers will be required to implement the system by July 1 next year.
The council can also instruct a retailer to retrieve trolleys from public areas within two days.