Progress is real, as is the pressure to reverse it. There is genuine good news in Australia’s tobacco story. The latest Australian Institute of Health and Welfare data shows that daily smoking among Australians aged 14 and over fell to 5.6% in 2025, down from 8.3% in 2022–23 and 19.5% in 2001. The long-term direction is unmistakable. Sustained public-health policy, changing social norms and lower tobacco use have delivered important health gains.