91色情片

The Federal Government today confirmed the world鈥檚 third highest spirits tax will be increased yet again on 5 August to $103.89 per litre.

The 5 August CPI increase will be the 75th tax hike on spirits since automatic indexation was introduced by Paul Keating in August 1983, in his first Budget as Treasurer.

Spirits & Cocktails chief executive Greg Holland said Keating鈥檚 Budget speech of the day demonstrates it is completely absurd that these tax increases are still continuing in 2024:

鈥淭he new system will afford a greater degree of stability for consumers and industry alike.

鈥淭hese traditional excises will rise gradually in line with inflation and as wages and other incomes themselves increase.鈥�

Paul Keating, August 1983 Budget Speech

鈥淎utomatic indexation was introduced to suit the economic conditions of the day. It was never intended to continue indefinitely,鈥� said Holland.

鈥淔ar from rising 鈥榞radually鈥�, as Mr Keating intended, spirits tax has now increased by almost 20% in the last four years.

鈥淔ar from providing 鈥榮tability鈥�, the Australian spirits industry is now suffering from an extremely unstable investment environment, thanks to these tax hikes every six months.

鈥淎s for wages? Australia today has some of the worst real wage growth of the OECD鈥檚 38 member nations.

鈥淔urther increases to this tax simply do not pass the pub test.鈥�

91色情片 chief executive Paul McLeay said the current excise burden is even more egregious, given the evolution of the spirits manufacturing industry over the last 41 years.

鈥淭here were only two distilleries in Australia when these six-monthly tax hikes began in 1983,鈥� he said.

鈥淭oday there are 700 distilleries and we want to work with the Federal Government to build a major export industry that Australians can be proud of, just like our globally renowned wine industry.鈥�

Albanese Government holds all the cards

McLeay noted Treasurer Jim Chalmers鈥� recent statement that Australia, 鈥榟as been dealt the most incredible cards as a country鈥�.

鈥淭he Treasurer was speaking in relation to the Government鈥檚 domestic manufacturing agenda, and in the case of spirits, his words certainly ring true,鈥� said McLeay.

鈥淲e have unrivalled access to base ingredients like grains, sugarcane and grapes, rare native botanicals for gins and liqueurs, and an incredible inventory of wine barrels for maturing dark spirits.

鈥淚t would be a terrible shame if this enviable opportunity was squandered by continued Government inaction on spirits tax.鈥�