A West Australian anti-smoking organisation has defended its refusal to sponsor artistic performances that contain tobacco references after an imbroglio over the opera Carmen.
Healthway, an independent state government foundation, came under fire last week when it emerged the WA Opera had dropped Carmen from its 2015/16 season because it is set in a cigarette factory and has some smoking scenes.
Healthway is funding WA Opera to the tune of $400,000 over two years, understood to represent four per cent of its budget.
WA Health Minister Kim Hames said on Monday he would "direct" Healthway to allow WA Opera to keep Carmen in its program.
But Healthway says its 20-year old policy is based on evidence that glamorising smoking increases the likelihood of young people experimenting with it.
"This policy applies to all Healthway's arts sponsorships, including West Australian Opera," Healthway said in a statement.
"The organisation is well aware of Healthway's sponsorship requirements regarding smoking in arts performances."
Healthway said it would "respond appropriately to any direction from the Health Minister" but did not elaborate on what that meant.
Premier Colin Barnett said last week he was "highly embarrassed" about Carmen being scrapped while WA opposition leader Mark McGowan said Healthway had gone too far.
Even Prime Minister Tony Abbott weighed into the debate last week, saying it was "political correctness gone crazy" because most operas featured tragic and exaggerated situations.
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