Coalition promises to slash tobacco tax, legalise and regulate vapes
A future Coalition government would slash the tobacco excise by 80 per cent, legalise and tax vapes and nicotine pouches and bolster law enforcement to shut down the illicit trade.
The Coalition has pledged to drastically reduce the tobacco excise by 80%, aiming to dismantle the illicit tobacco market. Additionally, they intend to legalize, regulate, and tax vapes and nicotine pouches for adult use. The One Nation party plans an 80% excise reduction, while Labor contends that a significant tax cut would not eliminate the black market.
The Coalition's proposal includes slashing the excise on cigarettes from around $30 to as low as $6, effectively crippling the illicit trade. Public health experts warn that lowering the excise might not curb tobacco consumption. The Party also plans a $60 million, three-year campaign to educate Australians about the dangers of illicit tobacco and vapes, and a $200 million investment in bolstering law enforcement efforts to target illegal tobacco shops.
The Coalition forecasts the policy could boost tax revenue by around $8 billion within the first four years.
Written by urgent.news from ABC News AU's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
