Libs accused of being tobacco mouthpiece

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott has faced fresh accusations of being a mouthpiece for
big tobacco because the Liberal Party accepts donations from cigarette companies.
An advertising campaign against Labor's plan to force cigarettes to be sold in plain
packets from mid-2012 will be launched on Thursday by newsagents, convenience stores
and service stations.
The ad blitz by the Alliance of Australian Retailers, which will include TV
commercials from Sunday, is funded 100 per cent by the country's three cigarette
manufacturers.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon, who claims the Liberal Party could be behind the $5
million campaign, said Mr Abbott was looking like the "Marlboro man".
"I want to know if Mr Abbott has promised something to the tobacco companies in
order for this intervention into the (election) campaign," she told the Nine Network
on Wednesday.
"I'm very suspicious."
Special Minister of State Joe Ludwig said the Liberals were compromised because they
had received $2.5 million from big tobacco over the past decade.
"While he continues to accept these donations Mr Abbott is nothing more than a
mouthpiece of big tobacco," Senator Ludwig said in a statement.
However the opposition leader insisted the Liberal Party wasn't behind the push to
kill off plain packaging.
"The Liberal Party has absolutely nothing to do with any sort of pro-smoking
campaign," Mr Abbott said.
"And as far as I'm concerned, if we are returned on August 21, we will certainly
consider going ahead with the government's plain packages for cigarettes."
He previously said he would not oppose Labor's packaging measure.
Liberal pollsters Crosby Textor also denied any involvement, following a News Ltd
report linking the company to the ads.
"Crosby Textor is not involved with either the alliance or its campaign," the firm
said in a statement.
Alliance spokeswoman Sheryle Moon backed both the pollster and Mr Abbott.
"The Liberal Party is not involved in this campaign," she told ABC Radio, adding the
advertisements were "apolitical".
"The ads do not urge a vote one way or the other," she said.
Ms Moon argued plain packs would add time to shop transactions and ultimately cost
retailers money.
"It's difficult to identify the consumer package that's required - it's difficult to
restock shelves," she said.
British American Tobacco Australia (BAT), which is funding the alliance's campaign
along with Philip Morris and Imperial Tobacco, said those involved had a "common
interest".
"Like the retailers, our view is very much that they (Labor) are looking to
implement policy that at the moment we don't see any evidence will make a
difference," BAT communications head Louise Warburton told AAP.
The tobacco giants helped develop the campaign but the Liberal Party wasn't
involved, Ms Warburton said.
Legal action to prevent mandatory plain packaging - which will be a world first if
implemented - is still a possibility but only "once the laws have actually passed
parliament", she said.
Labor's legislation banning logos, images and colours on cigarette packs is expected
to be introduced next year.
Ms Moon says the alliance's campaign will run "until plain packaging policy is
removed".