Overall the rate of smoking in Australia is on the decline, and has been for a while.

But people living in the bush are about 1.7 times more likely to smoke daily than those in major cities, according to the Rural Doctors Association of Australia.

Rates are even higher in Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and particularly Indigenous women, of which more than 38 per cent smoke on a daily basis.

President of the Rural Doctors Association of Australia, Dr Adam Coltzau, said it was high time the disparity in smoking rates was aggressively addressed, and is calling on the government to target anti smoking campaigns in rural areas.

"Smoking is the largest cause of preventable death and disease in Australia and has a major negative impact on lung health," Dr Coltzau said.

"Tobacco smoking is the primary cause for lung cancer, the leading cause of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, as well as exacerbating asthma conditions, which are already alarmingly high in Australia.

"Infants exposed in-utero to tobacco smoke toxins frequently experience reduced lung growth and function and young children exposed to second-hand smoke are at risk of the onset and exacerbation of asthma, pneumonia and bronchitis, and frequent lower respiratory infections."

The rural doctor said Governments across Australia need to tackle the issue of smoking in the outback, and concentrate on reducing smoking rates.

"The Federal Government raises a staggering $11 billion a year from tobacco taxes, but there remains no targeted campaign to reduce smoking rates in the broader rural and remote community," he said.

"Targeting a campaign, backed up by increased 'on the ground' resources, should be a priority, to make a real difference to the rates of smoking in these areas.

"The higher percentage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living in these rural, remote and very remote areas would mean we could see a real impact on Closing the Gap health targets as well.

"With the sheer amount of money generated by tobacco sales, and the savings made in health spending that come with lower smoking rates, this should be an absolute no brainer and we call on the newly elected Coalition Government to act in this area."

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