- Australian billionaire Andrew Forrest is suing tobacco companies for all smokers
- Mr Forrest is currently seeking advice for several Queens Council on the matter
- His plans on initiating the lawsuit were well received by nation’s health ministers
Australian mining billionaire is in the midst of suing the tobacco industry for billions of dollars on behalf of all smokers.
Businessman and philanthropist Andrew Forrest had reported started seeking advice on the impending lawsuit from some of the most revered Queen Councils (QCs) in the country.
Mr Forrest’s efforts follows a Canadian landmark lawsuit which had successfully managed to seek $15.6 billion in damages for more than one million smokers in 2015, the Saturday Telegraph reports.
Billionaire Andrew Forrest (pictured) is suing tobacco companies on behalf of all smokers
The publication reports that Mr Forrest had gone as far as citing his idea ‘in a COAG (Council of Australian Government) presentation’ in August which were attended by the nation’s health ministers.
It was further reported that Mr Forrest plans had been well received by the group.
‘This society-critical initiative is still in its infancy but the end game is to reduce this dreaded disease to an illness not a death sentence,’ Mr Forrest said.
‘We want to prove it works in Australia first and then immediately spread it globally.’
According to the newspaper, 15,000 Aussies die each year from various illnesses derived from smoking amounting to an annual economic lost of $31.5 billion.
Mr Forrest is reportedly seeking advice on the matter from several QCs (stock image)