Proposed changes to policy aim to support healthy public spaces

Invercargill City Council is proposing changes to an existing policy, to strengthen its approach to smoking and vaping in public spaces across the city.

Public consultation on its proposed Smokefree Vapefree Policy 2026 was now open.

Council’s existing policy covered Invercargill’s central business district and Council-owned parks, reserves, cemeteries, playgrounds, and sportsgrounds throughout the city, as well as at Splash Palace.

Council’s Community and Regulatory Committee chair Darren Ludlow said proposed tweaks to the existing policy included changing its name to reflect that it also covered vaping, as well as expanding the areas officially designated smokefree and vapefree, to include Council car parks, bus stops, public toilets, and the footpaths in front of schools and early childcare centres.

“Council was one of the earliest adopters of a smokefree policy throughout the motu, and it’s important that our policy continues to reflect the way our communities are changing. We want people to have a clear understanding of where our smokefree and vapefree expectations apply, particularly in places where families and young people spend time together,” he said.

While Council did not issue fines or infringement notices to those who breached the policy, it was a useful tool in educating the community in supporting healthier public spaces within the city.

The policy was a good example of the tangible impact rangatahi could make in their community. The Invercargill City Youth Council had played an integral role in developing and driving support for the existing policy, Ludlow said.

“Rangatahi aren’t just the future of our city – they have a voice in shaping what that future looks like. It’s so important that young people tell us what kind of environment they want to grow up in, so we can take their perspectives into account when we make decisions that will ultimately impact them,” he said.

“This is an opportunity for the people of Invercargill to help shape a policy that supports healthier, more welcoming public spaces for everybody.”

Public submissions on the proposed policy could be made online at letstalk.icc.govt.nz, by emailing policy@icc.govt.nz, or in person at Te Hīnaki Civic Building, the Bluff Service Centre, or the Invercargill Public Library.

Submissions would be open until 5pm on Friday 9 October.