Workplace Standards Tasmania is looking at reducing the range of fireworks able to be sold to the public. In Tasmania, fireworks can be bought and used if a permit has been obtained.
Roy Ormerod, from Workplace Standards, says that system will remain in place but there is a move to limit the range of fireworks allowed to be sold to the public."It just makes clearer what they can actually buy and use now because under the old or existing regulations it calls up a British standard which leaves open to interpretation as to what was a type two firework," he said.
"There were some fireworks being sold under that interpretation which we believe were not intended to be sold under the regulations when they were first written."One of the state's biggest fireworks retailers fears the changes will put it out of business. Owner Cherida Palmer says that most of her business comes from sales to the public. She says the rest comes from public fireworks displays, including New Year's Eve events in Hobart, Launceston and Burnie. "It's a small part of our business, the big displays," she said.
"The new regulations will mean that it will put us out of business and very likely we won't be able to continue to provide those big, public fireworks displays." Draft regulations on the guidelines have been released for public comment until the end of next month.