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

I would suggest, Senator Cormann, your head is very firmly in the sand on this issue. We have seen a 35 per cent fall in alcopops sales and an eight per cent fall in total spirits consumption. The government’s alcopops measure is just one among the many necessary to combat binge drinking. Change in society’s attitude to drinking does not occur immediately, and intervention must take many forms on many fronts. The higher taxation of alcopops is an important step in changing this attitude, and it is supported by health groups and, importantly, police right across the country.

With respect to the comments that the crossbench senators have made about the arrangement between the Greens and Senator Xenophon when last we debated this matter, I refer to the Hansard of 17 March. I think it is important that people understand what the agreement was at the time. I said:

We are now in a situation where the government can indicate that we agree with those proposals but not if the measure is not passed. That is the reality. We cannot agree to the measures that have been identified in this letter—

that is, the letter from Minister Roxon to Senators Siewert and Xenophon—

if the legislation is not passed unamended. We will only agree to these measures if the legislation is passed in an unamended form.

I made it perfectly clear then, and that is still the position of the government. Whilst I understand your desire, Senator Siewert and Senator Xenophon, to do more work in this space, that was the agreement the government made with the Greens and Senator Xenophon. That is the commitment we made and continue to make. Senators, I urge you to support these bills. I think they will be passed, because this is an important measure for the country.

Question agreed to.

Bills read a second time.