On Sunday Health Minister Sussan Ley announced the government’s target of reducing the national smoking rate to 10 per cent by the end of 2018, a 4.7 per cent reduction on the current national rate. 

The Grampians region which takes in Ballarat, Geelong and Horsham has one of the highest smoking rates in the country, with statistics released by the National Health Performance Authority in 2013 revealing 28 per cent of adults throughout the region light up daily. 

Ms Ley said while Australia was a world leader in reducing the rate of smoking, there was still plenty of work to be done. 

“The Australian government is a world leader in tobacco control measures and increasing tobacco excises, plain packaging, graphic health warnings, and quit campaigns over the years have all helped to reduce the adult smoking rate in Australia to 14.7 per cent,” Ms Ley said. 

BCH chief executive Robyn Reeves said while quit programs had been particularly successful in cutting the smoking rate among wealthier members of the community, there was still a lot of work to do to assist lower socioeconomic groups. 

Ms Reeves said more plans were needed to promote existing services, which had been proven to work.

“Targeted strategies are needed for lower socioeconomic groups, and for particular very vulnerable, high risk groups including indigenous Australians, homeless people, those with mental health problems and among prisoners,” Ms Reeves said. 

“Smoking cessation services have been shown to be effective in supporting people to quit, and require further development and greater accessibility.”

The new targets come as Victoria prepares to create more smoke-free zones, with all outdoor dining areas to become smoke-free by August 1.  

Ms Reeves said the ban needed to be expanded further to have a greater effect on smoking. 

Tobacco remains the leading avoidable cause of cancer, killing 4000 Victorians each year.