TIA (Doc Index)
|
This stub is a work-in-progress by the ScienceCorruption.com journalists's group. We are indexing the millions of documents stored at the San Francisco Uni's Legacy Tobacco Archive [1] With some entries you'll need to go to this site and type into the Search panel a (multi-digit) Bates number. You can search on names for other documents also. Send any corrections or additions to editor@sciencecorruption.com |
 |
This article is part of the Tobacco portal on Sourcewatch funded from 2006 - 2009 by the American Legacy Foundation. |
The Tobacco Institute of Australia was established in along the model of the US Tobacco Institute, and funded by the three major tobacco companies that dominated the Australian continent: Philip Morris Australia, WD&HO Wills (a subsidiary of British-American Tobacco) and Rothmans Australia. It had less than a million dollars in funding each year, and so it relied on the companies to undertake most of the expensive corruption themselves. Philip Morris clearly took the lead here.
The TIA was closely associated over the advertising issue with the Media Council of Australia run by a marketing executive from Rupert Murdoch's Melbourne newspaper, the Herald and Weekly Times (Bryan Simpson, said to be related to Murdoch). Simpson was eventually hired to run the TIA and then later to take over the global tobacco lobby known as INFOTAB in Brussels. The TIA also developed strong ties to the Australian Hotels Association (AHA), especially after the TIA director, Richard Mulcahy ran afoul of the Labor Health Minister, Graham Richardson, by crowing about the success of some of their confidential negotiations. He had to be hurriedly found a new job as head of the AHA, and from then on they remained in lock-step.
Philip Morris also created the Confederation of Australian Sports which became closely allied to the TIA, as was its administrator, Wayne Reid who's salary was funded by tobacco.
Document & Timelines
| RELATED ENTRIES |
|---|
| Tobacco Institute of Australia |
| Donna Staunton |
| Richard J Mulcahy |
| AFCO Case |
| NHMRC Case |
| Rolah McCabe Case |
1977 The three main tobacco companies in Australia begin collaborating via the Ad Hoc Committee.
1978 Feb Philip Morris report: Australia: Smoking and Health Strategy (Confidential). The main headings are:
- Advertising
- Sponsorship of Sporting and Cultural Activites.
- PMA is a major sponsor of tennis, football, motor racing and other sports
- Philip Morris Arts Grant (since 1971)
(Lobbying Successes)
- Blocked Tasmanian legislation with sporting bodies
- South Australia passed similar legislation -- but not to be enacted until three other states pass similar bills.
- Victorian Minister is anti-smoking but:
- sports writers defend our sponsorship - many closely involved with corporate promotion.
- tobacco money is irreplaceable to sports organisations
- we "actively encouraged the formation in 1979 of the Confederation of Australian Sport" with 5.5 million sport people.
- Passive smoking -- transport bans -- non-smoking areas in licenced resaurants
- Smokers Rights League
- Sunday Telegraph fronted for an industry poll done by ANOP
- Dr William Whitby, a GP is available (as spokesperson)
- Confederation of Australian Sports formed in 1979 by Philip Morris.
- Wayne Reid sports administrator - salary and office expenses are paid by the Australian tobacco manufacturers.
- Nigel Gray and IUCC/Vic Anti-Cancer Council
- Media Council of Australia, Assoc of Aust. National Advertiser, and AAA
- MCA is helping with political activities
- Three companies to form the Tobacco Institute of Australia and currently seeking a suitable director. [2]
1978 Feb Australia -- Smoking and Health Strategy: Some recent developments in Australia. The author [Andrew Whist] outlines for his US executives the political and anti-tobacco activist realities in Australia.
The industry defence organisation is regulated from the very top of the three Australian companies - Philip Morris, WD & HO Wills and Rothmans. The three chief executives actively and continually monitor the smoking and health situation and actively attempt to resist any government intervention affecting the freedom of the industry to advertise and sell their products.
The chief executives are constantly advised by the industry ad-hoc Committee, a small group which actively attempts to stave off any anti-smoking laws and regulations. The ad-hoc Committee, which has been operating now for ten years, was originally rather large and unwieldy. A reduction in numbers has made the group more effective. It is assisted by 15 specialists, including publicists, media experts and lobbyists, the Committee is in daily contact and meets frequently to monitor current events and plan future campaigns.This Committee has close links with tobacco growers, tobacco unions, the Media Council of Australia , the Association of' National Advertisers, the Federation of Australian Commercial Telecasters and Broadcasters, and sporting groups throughout the country. It carries out intense, ongoing lobbying with major federal and local political parties and groups, and a continuous contact program with the media..
Re the Media Council he boasts:
The three manufacturers have agreed to form an Australian Tobacco Institute, and are currently seeking a suitable Director.
However we do not see the Institute as the focal point of all our endeavours in the smoking and health field. Our philosophy is to build up a number of strong bodies of resistance outside the industry itself, particularly in areas where public opinion can be marshalled on our side.
We have close contacts on the Media Council of Australia, which is vitally concerned with any attempts to restrict freedom to, advertise. Members of the Council have strongly represented our mutual interests to politicians in e.g. Victoria and Tasmania. [3]
- Later that year, Bryan Simpson, the head of the Media Council, became head of the new Tobacco Institute of Australia.
1980 Philip Morris Australia (PMA) Corporate Affairs report on the Australian situation says:
In order to persuade the [Frazer Liberal] federal government to reject the far-reaching recommendations of the committee on tobacco and alcohol, including advertising bans, sponsorship restrictions, and excise increases reduce consumption, PMA undertook intensive lobbying of federal ministers and politicians of all parties. Issues discussed included the contribution of the tobacco industry to the economy, the futility and injustlce of advertising bans and the inequitable effect of further taxation increases.
The federal cabinet rejected most of the committee's 54 recommendations on tobacco and alcohol. The only recommendation of any significance to be accepted was tar and nicotine labeling, and implementation is still a long way off.
PMA undertook a project to establish a review panel representing media, advertisers, agencies and the Tobacco Institute to broaden defense of the self-regulatory system. PMA suggested to the Media Vouncil of Australia that the existing review panel be broadened. The council adopted and implemented this plan. All future cigarette advertising complaints will be dealt with initially by the Tobacco Advertising Council. Federal tobacco excise has not been increased since 1978. Representation on this issue is continuous.
PMA initiated a project to improve staffing, increase political effectiveness and upgrade information resources and the retrieval system of the Tobacco Institute of Australia. TIA is now politically effective and able to respond quickly to each new requirement. [4]
1986 National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) first report.
1994 Dec 8 Dr Julian Lee's Independent Working Group has published findings that are headlined in the Sydney Morning Herald "Passive smoking: panel queries dangers." They claim to have examined 500 scientific papers on passive smoking (since formation in Oct ??) [5]
1995 National Health & Medical Research Council (NHMRC) second report.
