EXCISE TAX – GOVERNMENT POLICY – AUSTRALIA

Illicit tobacco trade worst in the world

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Original article by Mohammad Alfares
The Australian – Page: 5 : 29-Oct-25

British American Tobacco’s chief corporate officer Kingsley Wheaton says criminal gangs have effectively seized control of Australia’s nicotine market. BAT estimates that 65 per cent of all cigarettes now sold in Australia are illegal, and that up to 80 per cent of the nicotine market – including vapes – is controlled by the black market. The London-based executive visited Australia earlier this year, and notes that while the UK has had a long-standing problem with the illegal tobacco trade, the level of criminality in Australia is much worse. Wheaton says the only realistic way to regain control of the tobacco market is to overhaul current policy settings, including a reduction in the federal government’s excise tax on cigarettes; this has risen by 75 per cent since 2019.

CORPORATES
BRITISH AMERICAN TOBACCO PLC

Miners seek assurance on fuel tax break

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 4 : 21-Apr-20

The resources sector is lobbying the federal government not to touch the diesel excise rebate as it looks at ways to repay the cost of the COVID-19 pandemic. The rebate is worth around $2 billion to the resources sector; it is also received by other industries, including fishing and agriculture. Minerals Council of Australia CEO Tania Constable contends that imposing higher taxes to pay for the cost of COVID-19 will harm jobs and curtail growth, while she notes that both the Henry tax review and Treasury are of the view that the fuel tax credit is sound economic policy.

CORPORATES
MINERAL COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY

Petrol: PM’s tough talk won’t work

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Original article by Phillip Coorey, Angela Macdonald-Smith
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 31-Oct-18

The average price of unleaded petrol has risen to a 10-year high of more than $1.60 per litre. Prime Minister Scott Morrison has flagged government intervention to put downward pressure on prices. However, he says it is ultimately up to petrol companies to "do the right thing". Caltex argues that the high crude oil price and the low Australian dollar are the main drivers of the spike in petrol prices. It adds that the government’s fuel excise tax of $0.412 a litre is also a major contributor, but government sources have ruled out an excise tax cut.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, CALTEX AUSTRALIA LIMITED – ASX CTX, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, VERTIUM ASSET MANAGEMENT PTY LTD, AUSTRALIAN INSTITUTE OF PETROLEUM LIMITED

Get ready for cigarettes at $40 a pack

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Original article by Jacob Greber
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 24-Nov-15

The Australian Labor Party will raise the excise rate for cigarettes by 12.5 per cent for four years from mid-2017 if it wins the next federal election. The rise in excise of this magnitude would result in cigarettes costing more than $A40 a pack. Some experts stress the fact that smoking is more prevalent among lower-income households than wealthier households and, therefore, the proposed policy would make poor people even poorer.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION, AUSTRALIA. PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET OFFICE, CANCER COUNCIL OF AUSTRALIA

Co-payment faces battle in Senate

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Original article by Phillip Coorey
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 13-Aug-14

The Palmer United Party continues to oppose the Australian Government’s $A7 Medicare co-payment. However, Health Minister Peter Dutton says the current bulk-billing rate of 83 per cent is unsustainable and needs to be addressed. He has also foreshadowed exempting more people from the co-payment. Meanwhile, Treasurer Joe Hockey has urged the Senate to support the proposed reintroduction of fuel indexation

CORPORATES
PALMER UNITED PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HUMAN SERVICES. MEDICARE AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF HEALTH, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE TREASURY, AUSTRALIAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION LIMITED, AUSTRALIA. NATIONAL COMMISSION OF AUDIT, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY