Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise also to speak on the Excise Tariff Amendment (2009 Measures No. 1) Bill 2009 and the Customs Tariff Amendment (2009 Measures No. 1) Bill 2009. The government claims that this legislation was designed to fund a new preventative health program and tackle binge drinking among teenagers, particularly girls. The price of ready-to-drink beverages and alcopops increased by 70 per cent overnight when this measure was announced in April 2008, and I will deal with the announcement in my remarks.

Drink prices increased by between 30c and $1.30 a bottle, depending on the level of alcohol content. This was the first and not the last tax hike of the Rudd government. It was expected, when announced, to raise over $2 billion. Under the tax increase, the level of excise jumped from $39.96 per litre to $66.67 per litre. Alcopops are now taxed at the same level as spirits. This is the government’s attempt, so they claim, to address the problem of binge drinking in younger people, particularly girls. They make the point—and the previous speaker tried to make the point—that it is a new problem. I would contend that binge drinking amongst young people is not a new problem. I think it has been a problem since alcohol was packaged. It certainly was a problem when I was at school and, unfortunately, in the past, at times, I have been part of the problem—

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