Kevin Rudd (Griffith, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

What we are concerned about is the prevalence of data concerning the increased use of RTDs by younger males and, in particular, younger females. Those who occupied the treasury bench when the member for Higgins was the Treasurer decided in 2000, at the time of the introduction of the GST, to provide a special measure in terms of the taxation treatment of this category of drinks, RTDs, and the data since then has shown that the proportion of girls reporting the consumption of RTDs on their last drinking occasion has increased from 14 per cent to 62 per cent. I regard that as a definition of a public health problem. We have acted responsibly in response to the taxation loophole the previous government left deliberately in this category of drinks. We have acted on it accordingly and we have acted on it according to the advice that we have received.

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