Beattie to pay Robbie's smoking fines

BRISBANE, Australia -

Robbie Williams has scoffed at official warnings not to smoke cigarettes on stage in Australia, but his celebrity status will help him escape paying $117 in fines.

The leader of Australia's state of Queensland, where the 32-year-old British pop star lit up on stage at a no-smoking venue on two consecutive nights, offered to pay the fines, saying Williams was a guest of the state.

Health groups criticized Williams in the media after he smoked Wednesday at the first of two Queensland concerts during his Australian tour.

He lit up again the next night, telling the crowd of more than 50,000 at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, the state capital, that he had heard about the controversy and promised not to smoke again — as he puffed on a cigarette.

After giving up drugs and alcohol, smoking was his only vice, Williams said.

Stadium spokesman Greg Adermann said Williams had been reminded after the first concert that smoking was banned at the venue.

State Premier Peter Beattie said Williams was liable for fines totaling $117, but that he would pay them on his behalf.

"He used it as part of his act and he is going to be treated like anybody else, but because of the circumstances, I am going to pay it," Beattie said.

Beattie said he didn't want the issue "to turn into an opportunity to continue to promote that bad boy image."

Williams' Australian tour will end with two concerts in the southern city of Melbourne next week.

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