Senator David Leyonhjelm has been branded "foolish" and "desperate" after making a grab for the dwindling smokers' vote by sharing a video of himself puffing on a cigar.
The crossbench senator posted the short clip to Twitter on Friday, along with the comment: "My message to Australia's smokers – the Liberal Democrats are the only party on your side."
Smouldering cigar in hand, Senator Leyonhjelm declares his party supports "your right to choose to smoke and will fight tobacco taxes".
The post was criticised by social media users, one of whom replied with an image of a smoker's lungs. Another wrote: "I was going to start smoking but then he persuaded me not to, what a public health legend."
My message to Australia's smokers - the Liberal Democrats are the only party on your side. #auspol #nannystate pic.twitter.com/d3EHBvngFu— David Leyonhjelm (@DavidLeyonhjelm) April 8, 2016
Senator Leyonhjelm's post was criticised as inaccurate by the Australian Sex Party. Leader Fiona Patten's chief of staff said the party also supported smokers' rights and posted a picture of a campaign lighter that "protects your right to light".
@DavidLeyonhjelm porkies again! Here's @aussexparty lighter that "protects your right to light" @_HelenDale #auspol pic.twitter.com/wtDwABkRUB— Jorian (@JorianGardner) April 8, 2016
In 2014 the senator, a long-time critic of tobacco control measures, confirmed his party had accepted donations from tobacco giant Phillip Morris worth "tens of thousands" of dollars.
Public health expert Simon Chapman said that in recent years parties that had tried to appeal to smokers had crashed and burned at the polls because they failed to understand most smokers don't support smoking.
"He's politically just very foolish or desperate," he said. "The vast majority of smokers, about 90 per cent in fact, regret having ever taken up smoking. There are a small minority of smokers who love smoking and hate tobacco control legislation."
Quit Victoria director Sarah White said only 12.8 per cent of Australians were smokers. "Smoking is not a choice, it's an addiction and 80 per cent of smokers want to quit," she said.
"It is appalling that someone that we should be able to look up to as an elected representative is promoting a product that will kill two out of three people who use it in the long term."
