Plain packaging of tobacco returns to political agenda

Associate Health Minister Sam Lotu-Iiga is poised to unveil the new packaging, expected to look very similar to cigarette and tobacco packets in Australia. Draft regulations will then go out for public consultation before the second reading of the legislation comes back to Parliament sometime in the next couple of weeks. The law change has been on hold since since tobacco companies tried to sue the Australian government, which introduced plain packaging in 2012 - but last year one of two legal challenge failed. Dame Tariana Turia is the former Associate Health Minister who was the driver behind the legislation.