Jan McLucas (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

While the clearance data does show an increase in full-strength spirits consumption of 17 per cent—a figure that was quoted by Senator Fifield and Senator Colbeck—they omitted to quote the most important figure. Overall spirit consumption in RTDs combined with full-strength spirits has fallen around 7.9 per cent when compared to the same period in 2007-08. There has been a huge reduction in RTDs; there has been a small increase in straight spirits; but the most important figure is that overall consumption of spirits has reduced by 7.9 per cent—and you are saying the data does not exist.