Nicola Roxon is the first politician in the world to spearhead a successful plain packaging campaign. In Australia, due to Roxon's commitment as minister for health and ageing, the government has written into law plain packaging regulation, which is due to come into force this December.

Before her promotion to attorney-general late last year, Roxon made a name for herself pushing major and controversial health reform. In 2009 she campaigned for a 70 per cent tax hike on alcopops, criticised by opponents as a A$3bn “tax binge”. Her real public health success, however, came in the fight against the tobacco industry on plain packaging.

Tobacco giant Philip Morris met the Australian government’s plain packaging law with a well-funded High Court challenge. In response to this legal wrangling, Roxon criticised big tobacco by saying: “We absolutely knew that anything we did in this area we would be sued for by the tobacco companies – that’s how they do business."

She added: “15,000 Australians dying a year from tobacco-related disease makes it worth us trying to find new ways to reduce smoking.”

Simon Chapman, professor of public health at the University of Sydney, said: "Nicola Roxon has marked her tenure with this historic legislation – it will stand as a major chapter in public health history.”

Just before the government’s success in the High Court, Roxon said of the tobacco industry: “They are fighting vigorously because they know plain packaging will hurt them by reducing sales, and they know if Australia succeeds in being the first country to implement these laws, we won't be the last.”
 

Tags: Cancer Research UK, Plain packaging