For over 30 years we’ve partnered with the AMA in delivering our Dirty Ashtray Awards, including the more recent addition of the Exploding Vape Award.
These awards call out unacceptable behaviour and tactics by the tobacco industry in Australia.
2025
2024
The Dirty Ashtray Award went to the Australian Association of Convenience Stores, or AACS, for their refusal to disclose their funding from the tobacco industry when presenting at a Senate Inquiry into tobacco control legislation. AACS has been at the forefront of supporting tobacco industry rhetoric over the past two decades, and at the Senate Inquiry was asked to disclose any financial ties to the industry. The organisation refused, citing commercial confidentiality.
The Exploding Vape Award went to the Australian Taxpayers Alliance, for their “Bust the Black-Market Campaign”. This initiative was textbook astroturfing. The Alliance purports to “represent the everyday Australian taxpayer” through what they call “grassroots campaigning” to oppose what they call “over-regulation”. The reality is, this campaign had clear links to Big Tobacco and showed complete disregard for the evidence-based reforms put forward by public health experts.
ACOSH CEO Laura Hunter (L) and ACOSH President André Schultz (R) with special guest speaker, John Safran
