Plain tobacco packaging Kong investor in order to use the investor-state dispute settlement provisions in the Australia-Hong Kong Bilateral Investment treaty (BIT). Immediately following the passage of legislation on 21 November 2011, Philip Morris announced it had served a notice of arbitration under Australia's Bilateral Investment Treaty with Hong Kong, seeking the suspension on the plain packaging laws and compensation for the loss of trademarks. Allens Arthur Robinson represented Philip Morris. In response, Health Minister Nicola Roxon stated that she believed the government was "on very strong ground" legally, and that the government was willing to defend the measures. The continuance of trade
Tobacco products Tobacco products Tobacco is the agricultural product of the leaves of plants in the genus "Nicotiana". All species of "Nicotiana" contain the addictive drug nicotine—a stimulant and sedative contained in all parts of the plants except the seeds—which occurs in varying amounts depending on the species and variety cultivated. See types of tobacco and curing of tobacco for more information. The vast majority of commercially available tobacco is derived from the species "Nicotiana tabacum", although it is also produced from "Nicotiana alata", and to a lesser extent "Nicotiana clevelandii", "Nicotiana longiflora", and "Nicotiana rustica", among others. Once tobacco has been