Western Australian Minister predicts solariums shut down

Western Australian Health Minister Kim Hames says the State is likely to follow in the footsteps of the rest of Australia and shut down sun beds.

With Queensland announcing that commercial sunbed operations will have to cease as of the end of 2014, Western Australia is the only state that has not banned solariums.

Dr Hames explained this weel that while the Western Australian Cabinet is yet to make the decision, a ban is likely to be implemented by the end of next year.

Dr Hames stated "there's not lots of them, there's no big downside for them to stop because most of them have other businesses and, I think given every other state and territory has done it, it's probably right we follow suit."

Western Australian Opposition Leader Mark McGowan says tanning beds should have been banned already, stating "the fact that the Government has known about this since 2009, other states have taken action in that period of time, yet our Government hasn't done a thing about it, I think is not acceptable."

The Western Australian Government would be likely to pay compensation to solarium operators if it pushes ahead with a ban on sunbeds.