How Our Beer Tax Should Be...

[Luka]

All brewers, whether home or craft brewers should read this article and pass it on to their local federal member. Beer tax is an issue I personally feel very strongly about and I believe our Australian craft beer scene is being held back by over taxation and pandering to the large corparates. Lets all do our bit, just send a quick, polite email with the following link to your local federal member of parliament and let them know that something needs to change. With the Henry tax reveiw there is a very real danger of beer tax going up!

Let our voices be heard!

Article on US beer tax review

 

[MarkBastard]

IMO Beer tax should be just the 10% GST.

And then at the brewery level the usual company taxes only.

 

[lonte]

IMO Beer tax should be just the 10% GST.

And then at the brewery level the usual company taxes only.

That's a good point, what is the justification for Beer suffering from specific additional taxes that other items don't? I don't see some guy buying golf balls hit with an excise tax, etc. etc.

 

[MarkBastard]

It's a so called sin tax.

Just a way for annoying Christian wankers that run this country to impose their morals on us, or rip us off, either way we're getting screwed.

 

[winkle]

That's a good point, what is the justification for Beer suffering from specific additional taxes that other items don't? I don't see some guy buying golf balls hit with an excise tax, etc. etc.

2 words;
CASH COW
(in this case, just keep milking until you kill it).

 

[lonte]

2 words;
CASH COW
(in this case, just keep milking until you kill it).

I admit to playing Devil's Advocate a bit there, and I know that is the reason, but when it comes down to it excise is levelled (in Australia) on "... Alcohol, Tobacco and Petroleum ..." and there is absolutely no justification for that.

 

[marksfish]

at least in the old days petrol taxes were to be used to maintain roads . if alcohol and tobacco tax could be used to fund medicare i wouldnt mind as much.

 

[jbirbeck]

All brewers, whether home or craft brewers should read this article and pass it on to their local federal member. Beer tax is an issue I personally feel very strongly about and I believe our Australian craft beer scene is being held back by over taxation and pandering to the large corparates. Lets all do our bit, just send a quick, polite email with the following link to your local federal member of parliament and let them know that something needs to change. With the Henry tax reveiw there is a very real danger of beer tax going up!

Let our voices be heard!

Article on US beer tax review

The Henry review is a joke as far as a review goes and is largely done. But the idea of moving to a simpler volumetric system of alcohol taxation is long overdue - provided WET is treated in the same way. A volumetric tax should mean a single rate of tax for all beverages based on the amount of alcohol. High alcohol, high tax. Fair enough position, and more equitable. Once there the issue of supporting the smaller player - craft players in any space - should be considered by providing a concession across the board for limited production.

That's a good point, what is the justification for Beer suffering from specific additional taxes that other items don't? I don't see some guy buying golf balls hit with an excise tax, etc. etc.

The broad justification is that alcohol has links in with a series of other issues that cost...health is the main one. While there isn't that direct trace through, excise on alcohol and tobacco should be funnelled towards health costs, and petrol towards roads. A golf ball tax would by that logic be used to maintain golf courses...

 

[Josh]

A golf ball tax would by that logic be used to maintain golf courses...

Or reduce home insurance bills B)

 

[drsmurto]

That's a good point, what is the justification for Beer suffering from specific additional taxes that other items don't? I don't see some guy buying golf balls hit with an excise tax, etc. etc.

Ethanol is a poison. Golf isn't (although some may argue)

 

[HoppingMad]

It's a so called sin tax.

Just a way for annoying Christian wankers that run this country to impose their morals on us, or rip us off, either way we're getting screwed.

Agreed.

Unfortunately in the current climate of anti-alcohol hysteria no politician would go near trying to implement the sensible measures suggested in the US link. It simply won't make them look good enough - and ultimately their seat in parliament is all they care about.

It's also difficult for the ones that do give a damn to tell the press "We've created hundreds of jobs and supported a burgeoning industry," when reporters are so fixated on the negative consequences of a govt implementing measures that could potentially put more alcohol into the community. Also difficult when journos are enjoying such a great run of alcohol fuelled bad news stories - whether it's attacks on tourists, students, or the latest indiscretion of a sportsperson that should be a 'Role model to the kiddies'.

The lobbying will continue for a Fair go for craft beer. I just hope at some point the pollies listen and realise micros are about improving quality, not quanity.

Hopper.

 

[Effect]

That's a good point, what is the justification for Beer suffering from specific additional taxes that other items don't? I don't see some guy buying golf balls hit with an excise tax, etc. etc.

If golf caused violence, deterioration of health, domestics etc etc, then I am sure the government would find some justification for taxing it.

Cheers
Phil

 

[Effect]

I just hope at some point the pollies listen and realise micros are about improving quality, not quanity.

Hopper.

Then all we need to do is to get some politians invovled monetarily with a craftbrewery...they will change the excise laws very fast if someone is taking money from their pockets...

 

[bum]

Do you guys get upset about unfair laws that don't effect you directly?

Anyone against Christmas Island by any chance?

 

[lonte]

If golf caused violence, deterioration of health, domestics etc etc, then I am sure the government would find some justification for taxing it.

Too lazy to argue at length however I believe that the statement above is at best a gross generalisation and at worst a distortion of the truth.

 

[///]

Whatever the results of the Henry review, remember beer has a lot less to loose than other manufacturers like wine.

Wine is outside the excise system, the Vol.Tax would bring wine makers into the system for the first time and takes away the percentage sales tax model (ignoring any rebates). So that is a positive, all producers under the same roof. The Vol.Tax would also rid the system of the mind numbing difference between package sizes but the WET rebate is extremely sensitive.

But, the Vol.Tax undermines the RTD stance and makes some political poison for the Rudd Government as it is a reversal of the agenda set.

So no matter the outcome, there will sure be lots of lobbying. One lobbyist I've spoken to thinks it a done deal, the other the review being nothing more than horse poo. Who knows really ...

Scotty

 

[MarkBastard]

Do you guys get upset about unfair laws that don't effect you directly?

Yes, I have strong opinions on gay rights and abortion for example.

 

[bcp]

It's a so called sin tax.

Just a way for annoying Christian wankers that run this country to impose their morals on us, or rip us off, either way we're getting screwed.

I understand the sentiment, but this is an over-simplification of the real causes, (as well as an over-generalisation about christians - even in history william wilberforce stood for abolition of slavery, protection of animals from cruelty and promoted the drinking of beer as a much better alternative to 'gin'. And one of our members here is a Jehovah's witness. There are christian wankers, and christians who are pretty good people.)

Alcohol has a bad rap because of long-standing social and health problems that are associated with it (fairly & unfairly), and this makes it an easy target for politicians looking at how to raise the taxes, etc without offending groups.

If we want to change the way this is managed in australia it's about changing perceptions of key policy makers about beer, and home brewing. This requires good strategy, but is eminently do-able.

 

[HoppingMad]

Do you guys get upset about unfair laws that don't effect you directly?

:icon_offtopic: Sure. These ones really tick me off in Victoria:

- If you meet up with a pirate - do not trade with them (Crimes Act 1958)
- Flying kites or playing a game in public which annoys another person is an offence (Summary Offences Act 1966)
- Carrying out unauthorised rain making operations is an offence- that is the 'seeding or nucleating of clouds by artificial means from a manned aircraft'. (Rain making Control Act 1966)

Unfortunately I don't know any pirates, don't possess a kite, or a plane. So they don't affect me directly - but they do upset me.

Hopper.