National Interest

Last week the National Interest put forward a controversial idea: a review of the way we tax alcohol. The idea is simple: forget about tweaking alcopop prices and start taxing products in line with their alcoholic content. In other words, the stronger the drink, the higher the tax. Alice Springs doctor John Boffa argued that getting fiscally physical with fortified wines and chateau cardboard could reduce the damage done by alcohol. But is the chardonnay set ready for a tax on wine linked to alcohol content? Possibly not, and on the National Interest today wine producers will argue that pushing up the price of wine won't solve the health and violence problems associated with excessive boozing. Do they have a point, or are we simply safeguarding the tastes of inner-suburban trendies?

Guests

Dominic Nolan
General Manager, Policy & Government Affairs Winemakers Federation of Australia

Daryl Smeaton
CEO Alcohol Education and Rehabilitation Foundation

Presenter

Peter Mares

Producer

James Panichi

Radio National often provides links to external websites to complement program information. While producers have taken care with all selections, we can neither endorse nor take final responsibility for the content of those sites.