Alan Eggleston (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The government claims that the alcopop tax was introduced to reduce binge drinking in teenagers, but, as I have said many times, if the government were genuine in this endeavour, rather than an increase in tax focused on a preferred drink of young people, the broader issue of alcoholism in the Australian community would have been addressed.

If a tax were introduced, I would suggest a volumetric tax be put in place on alcoholic drinks, whereby drinks would be taxed according to the percentage of alcohol they contain. A low-alcohol content drink would have a low tax and would thereby be cheaper, and a high-alcohol content drink would have a high tax and would thereby be more expensive.