烟草在线据BigPond新闻网报道编译　　政府和四大烟草巨头就劳工部颁布的世界第一个卷烟平装法案对簿高等法院。

　　在7名法官的全席法庭前，为期3天的听证会从4月17日早晨开始。

　　英美烟草公司、菲莫国际、帝国烟草澳大利亚公司和日本烟草国际公司声称，去年11月国会通过的政府立法是违宪的。

　　他们辩论道，联邦政府正在通过消除品牌名称和标识攫取它们的财产，而没有给予补偿。

　　但政府在上交高等法院的意见中表示，这纯粹是无稽之谈，他们并没有从中获利。

　　政府并非如烟草公司所说要夺取其品牌，立法仅仅是简单地规定它们需要“用适当的可让人接受的方式减少对公众的危害”。

　　烟草公司竭尽所能地打在这一官司，因为它们担心，如果政府这次胜诉，其他国家将效仿澳大利亚实施类似的措施。

　　英美烟草发言人斯科特·麦金泰尔（Scott McIntyre）表示，这次起诉将会作为卷烟平装法案合法性的“判例案件”。

　　“作为一个销售合法产品的合法公司，我们一直代表股东坚持捍卫自己的财产，就如所有公司都会做的那样，”麦金泰尔先生在4月16日的声明中表示。

　　然而，总检察长尼古拉·罗克森（Nicola Roxon）认为，政府一方的法律依据更充分。

　　4月初她曾说过：“烟草产品平装法案是为了达到保护公众健康这一根本目标制定的立法措施。”

　　联邦政府认为，即使烟草公司能够证明政府侵犯了它的财产权，制造商们仍然无法胜诉。

　　因为平装立法的宗旨是改善公众健康，这一主旨符合宪法规定的商业、贸易和外贸立法授予的联邦政府的权力。

　　昆士兰州、澳大利亚首都特区（ACT）和北领地总检察长与澳大利亚癌症委员会都介入了该起案件。

　　劳工部的法律规定所有卷烟自2012年12月起，必须使用单一的橄榄棕色外包装。

Tobacco giants in court

Tuesday, April 17, 2012
BigPond News

　　The government and four tobacco giants are to face off in the High Court over Labor's world-first laws requiring all cigarettes to be sold in plain packs.

　　The three-day hearing starts on Tuesday morning before the seven justices of the full court.

　　British American Tobacco (BAT), Philip Morris, Imperial Tobacco Australia and Japan Tobacco International claim the government's legislation, which passed parliament in November, is unconstitutional.

　　They argue the Commonwealth is acquiring their property - in the form of brand names and logos - without just compensation.

　　But the government, in its submission to the High Court, says that's rubbish because it is not getting any benefit.

　　Rather than taking over the companies' brands it says the legislation simply restricts their use 'in a manner appropriate and adapted to reducing harm to members of the public'.

　　Big tobacco is throwing everything at the legal challenge because it is worried other countries could follow Australia's lead if the government wins the day.

　　BAT spokesman Scott McIntyre says the stoush will operate as a 'test case' on the validity of plain packaging legislation.

　　'As a legal company selling a legal product we have continually said we will defend our property on behalf of our shareholders as any company would,' Mr McIntyre said in a statement on Monday.

　　However, Attorney-General Nicola Roxon believes the government is on strong legal ground.

　　Earlier this month she said: 'Plain packaging of tobacco products is a legitimate measure designed to achieve a fundamental objective - the protection of public health.'

　　The Commonwealth argues that even if big tobacco could prove the government was acquiring their property rights the manufacturers still wouldn't win in court.

　　That's because the purpose of the plain packaging legislation - namely to improve public health - is within the scope of the Commonwealth's legislative power under the constitution's commerce, trade and external affairs powers.

　　The Queensland, ACT and the Northern Territory attorneys-general are all intervening in the High Court case along with the Cancer Council of Australia.

　　Labor's laws will force all cigarettes to be sold in drab olive-brown packs from December 2012.