Parliament will resume earlier than usual today as the Federal Government endeavours to push through their controversial alcopops tax. The tax on ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages has been collected for over a year despite legislation approving the tax hike failing to get Senate approval. Earlier this year it was voted down by the Coalition and Family First Senator Steve Fielding with the Government forced to introduce new legislation in a bid to get it passed. It appears a forlorn hope that the... ...Read more »

The Federal Government has today announced that the controversial alcopops tax legislation will be reintroduced to Parliament in May. Speaking at a press conference Health Minister Nicola Roxon and Treasurer Wayne Swan advised that new legislation would also be brought in to validate the tax that has already been collected, ensuring that distillers will not receive a refund. The controversial tax was first introduced in April last year, with alcopop taxes rising 70 per cent before legislation had... ...Read more »

Family First Senator Steve Fielding is considering once again taking a stand against the Rudd government’s alcopops tax hike – believing the tax to have been ineffective in tackling binge drinking. It represents another change of heart for the Senator after he first rejected it on the grounds it was merely a tax grab before throwing his support behind it as the financial crisis threatened to blow a hole in the budget. The Federal Government lifted the tax rate on alcopops – Ready-To-Drink... ...Read more »

Family First Senator Steve Fielding has reported that he will now support the controversial ‘alcopop’ tax after in spite of his opposition to the use of taxes to control binge drinking. Mr Fielding said that in light of recent economic turmoil it was now in the best interests of the country for the budget measures to be passed. This has meant he will no longer use his position in the Senate to block the ready-to-drink (alcopop) alcoholic beverage tax nor changes to the thresholds for... ...Read more »