Pauline Hanson vows to slash cigarette prices by nearly $30 a pack
One Nation says high taxes on tobacco have pushed Australians into the black market, and the only way to undo that is by cutting the price of cigarettes in half.
One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has pledged to slash cigarette prices by nearly $30 per pack and freeze indexation for three years, aiming to eliminate the illicit tobacco market. This proposal comes as the tobacco commissioner estimates that over half of Australia's tobacco consumption now comes from the black market, resulting in significant tax losses.
Health Minister Mark Butler acknowledged the black market's growth, attributing it to smokers seeking cheaper alternatives. However, the government remains focused on law enforcement efforts to combat the illicit trade, rejecting Hanson's proposal. The AMA warns that cutting tobacco taxes is a misguided approach to addressing the illicit trade, citing a lack of evidence supporting the claim.
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