Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Manager of Government Business in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

The evidence is clear on this. It is clear that increasing prices reduces alcohol consumption, and that is particularly so for young people. International experience backs this up. Higher excise taxes have been shown to significantly reduce the frequency of youth drinking and the probability of risky drinking levels. The effects of price on alcohol consumption and alcohol related problems are clear. That is the position that is being demonstrated. The research already underpins that. Local and international studies on the effectiveness of price related levers on levels of alcohol consumption reliably show that higher prices lead to a reduction in consumption, especially among price-sensitive groups such as young people. That was shown as early as 2004 in The prevention of substance use, risk and harm in Australia: a review of the evidence by Loxley et al. (Time expired)