Parliament has passed the Smoke-free Environments (Prohibiting Smoking in Motor Vehicles Carrying Children) Amendment Bill.

The bill amends the Smoke-free Environments Act 1990 to prohibit smoking in motor vehicles carrying anyone under 18 years of age.

“We know that second-hand smoke can accumulate in vehicles, even with the windows down. That presents an unacceptable risk to kids who never asked to be exposed to second-smoke, and deserve a fighting chance at a life of healthy, clean lung,” says Associate Minister of Health Jenny Salesa.

Police will have the ability to issue on-the-spot fines of $50 or issue warnings.

“New Zealand joins Australia, Finland, the UK, most Canadian provinces and some US states, in banning smoking in cars with kids. This progressive new legislation continues our work towards New Zealand’s aspirational goal of Smokefree 2025,” adds Ms Salesa.

Two bills have also been introduced to Parliament, the Social Security (COVID-19 Income Relief Payment to be Income) Amendment Bill which will ensure that a payment received by a person under the COVID-19 Income Relief Payment Programme is treated as the person's income for the purposes of the Social Security Act 2018; and the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification (Urgent Interim Classification of Publications and Prevention of Online Harm) Amendment Bill which  updates the Films, Videos, and Publications Classification Act 1993 to allow for urgent prevention and mitigation of harms caused by objectionable publications.