The question on how this could be implemented seems to be the biggest challenge, yet a former Wagga councillor and a regional NSW town demonstrate that enforcement is not too hard. 

According to the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network report, between 2013 to 2014, smoking is believed to have contributed to 2635 hospitalisations at a rate close to 850 per 100,000 population. 

This is significantly higher than the NSW rate of 543.9, reflecting that MPHN had the highest rate of smoking attributable hospitalisations among NSW Primary Health Networks. 

What some may call a poor lifestyle choice, smoking is causing high incidences of lung cancer in the Murrumbidgee region. 

A strong advocate for the banning of smoking in the Wagga CBD, Mayor Greg Conkey, said since the rejection to implement a smoking ban in 2015, there have been no plans to reinstate the extension of a smoke free policy. 

"I still withhold my view that smoking should be restricted in heavy traffic areas, like the main streets,” Cr Conkey said. 

Cr Conkey at the moment believes it is quite confusing for people as smoking in the main streets are permitted, while there is a ban on smoking within four metres of commercial dining areas. 

“It’s a strong debate, half of the community are in favour and the other half oppose the extension of the smoke free environment,” he said. 

“There was also the challenge of policing it; people can’t smoke within 10 metres of children’s playgrounds, but we don’t have council rangers enforcing this. 

“We can only hope that people are responsible and mindful of others.

“There have been no moves to reintroduce a motion to look at the smoking ban again.” 

Breast cancer survivor, Eliza Harmer, supports a plan to re-introduce a ban on cigarette and electronic cigarette smoking in the main streets but questions how it would be controlled. 

“I definitely think we should ban smoking along the main street, but can we actually ban it?,” she asked. 

“It’s not illegal and we can’t avoid smokers so maybe there should be a designated area for smokers.”

Mrs Harmer said her breast cancer might have been influenced from her husband’s regular smoking habit.

”I said to my husband, I will sue you if I cannot survive as he was smoking indoors and around my two children, since then he’s been smoking outdoors,” she said. 

Despite many supporting the ban, there are fears that this could produce a work overload for law enforcement. 

Wagga Business Chamber president Danielle Pascoe called for a community consultation to be undertaken “prior to re-introducing” a ban on smoking in the Wagga CBD. 

“We acknowledge that there are competing priorities in relation to this issue and whilst it is very important to be conscious of public health, we must also be considerate of any commercial implications to businesses that operate in this precinct along with the additional resourcing that may be required to enforce such a ban,” Ms Pascoe said.   

“Wagga Wagga Business Chamber encourages any businesses in this area to contact them with feedback on the proposed ban.” 

While plans to revisit the smoking ban seems to be placed in the too hard basket, a regional town in NSW is living a healthier lifestyle following it’s smoking ban in the CBD two years ago. 

Tamworth mayor Col Murray said the community embraced the change “very strongly”, and while there have been isolated examples of people choosing to smoke in the restricted areas, it has predominantly been an “outstanding” success. 

“The council made a fairly bold decision and of course there was a bit of a push back from minority groups, but overall the broader community response has been great,” Mr Murray said. 

“We deliberately decided not to take a hard line regulatory approach to this issue and adopted the view of almost a generational change in the culture of the CBD users and also through education.

“Our council ranges have only dealt with nine incidents of non-compliance in the two years.

“This process is about changing culture in the community and the broader community have adopted a firm line in what is acceptable behaviour in the CBD and around the sporting grounds,” he said.  

Yet for former Greens councillor, Kevin Poynter, Wagga’s answer to implementing a smoke free CBD is actually “pretty simple”. 

“I really support a ban on smoking in the main street and my view has not changed since I was on council,” Mr Poynter said. 

“There are lots of people who have a right to enjoy public spaces and are sometimes subject to second-hand smoke which is damaging to their health, especially to children and pregnant women.”

Mr Poynter argued that there are too many people “trying to run a nanny state” and issues surrounding how it would be policed is “nonsense”. 

The fact that Wagga already has a ban on drinking alcohol in the main streets, he believed putting a ban on smoking carries the same depth. 

“It’s a pretty simple proposition, that you actually just designate the main street area as a smoking-free area,” he said.  

“I don’t know how much more simple it can get and council should just bite the bullet and do it.”