​The MAV has a service agreement with the Department of Health to administer State Government funding for local government to undertake education and enforcement activities to ensure compliance with the Tobacco Act 1987.

To receive funding, participating councils need to undertake specified activities and report the results to the MAV for compiling into a report that is provided to the Department of Health.

In 2010-11, 78 councils and one statutory body undertook funded tobacco activities including visits to tobacco retailers, eating establishments and licensed premises; providing workplace education activities; enforcement activities; and conducting test purchasing.

Summary findings from 2010-2011 tobacco activity report:

• 19 456 interactions conducted by councils with tobacco retailers, eating establishments and licensed premises
• Councils exceeded the required education visits to establishments
• 4 809 or 55 per cent of tobacco retailers visited (50 per cent funded target)
• 6 520 or 35 per cent of eating establishments visited (5 per cent funded target)
• 2 936 or 48 per cent of licensed premises visited (10 per cent funded target)
• 1 008 breaches recorded by tobacco retailers and 1 035 enforcement actions undertaken by councils
• 487 breaches recorded for eating establishments and 487 enforcement actions undertaken by councils
• 365 breaches recorded for licensed premises and 365 enforcement actions undertaken by councils
• The most common breach by tobacco retailers and eating establishments was signage requirements
• 77 workplace visits were conducted by councils in response to 83 complaints. Although outdoor areas are not subject to bans on smoking, smoking outside enclosed workplaces was the main reason complaints were being made.
• 42 councils participated in test purchasing of cigarette sales to minors and 2 216 test purchases were undertaken
• 335 sales to minors resulted from test purchasing (15 per cent), with 228 warning letters issued and 135 infringement notices issued.