PM supports smoking ban in clubs

The days of lighting up in smoke-filled clubs may be numbered.

Prime Minister Helen Clark wants to extend the proposed smoke-free bars legislation to private clubs.

But the Returned Services Association says many of its clubs risk being caught anyway.

Helen Clark lobbied for doctors' support yesterday.

She told the College of General Practitioners conference in Auckland that the smoke-free amendments challenged the "sanctity" of pubs, and if doctors pushed for an extension into private clubs, "you will have my support."

Later, she said if public submissions strongly favoured such a move, Labour would support it.

Alliance leader and Deputy Prime Minister Jim Anderton said through a spokesman that he "personally supports a consistent approach so the same rules should apply to everyone.

"But the Alliance position is that it will support the legislation as it now stands to select committee and will review it when it comes back . . ."

The Smoke-free Environments (Enhanced Protection) Bill and Government amendments released last month would, from 2007, ban smoking in bars, restaurants and casinos - unless they have separate, enclosed and ventilated rooms for smokers. The move has been called an effective ban in smaller pubs and eating places.

The Government has said the restrictions would not apply to sports clubs and organisations, such as the RSA, because they are private.

But RSA chief executive Pat Herbert said that if the bill were passed, RSAs and other private clubs would lose an existing exemption, which was based on their not being open to the general public.

Any one employee would effectively be able to demand no smoking in clubs.