Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Joyce for his question. On 1 July 2000 the former government introduced a new category of excisable alcohol that had the effect of reducing the effective rate of excise on spirit based ready-to-drink beverages by 40 per cent. The Rudd government have reversed this decision so that all spirits are taxed at the same rate, no matter how they are consumed. What has changed in recent times is the growing epidemic of binge drinking, something of which those opposite appear to be oblivious. While those opposite may be oblivious, the Rudd government are not blind to this. We intend to engage in a comprehensive package, of which this is part. The spirits industry has published figures showing that consumption of alcohol—