Beer tax rise ‘un-australian’

AN increase to beer tax has been labelled “un-australian” by the Katter’s Australian Party, with Kennedy MP Bob Katter linking the price hike to a rise in suicide.

During a quick visit to The Bohle Barn at Shaw yesterday, Mr Katter and his party said the Prime Minister needed to “pull his head in”.

“I’m sick and tired of the self-righteous, morally superior, restrict-everything brigade, holier than thou,” he said.

“It’s no wonder we have the highest male suicide rates on the planet, and they’re just going to get worse because doing this straight after COVID is a terrible, terrible thing to do.”

But Herbert MP Phil Thompson has hit back, saying the increase is only around 1 cent a beer, based on a 375ml bottle.

The KAP says for a carton of 52 beers costing $52, $22.05 would be in tax.

The price hike is expected to nounced on July 29, with fears it passed on to consumers.

Hinchinbrook MP Nick Dametto said too much money from alcohol sales was going straight to the government.

“The most Australian thing to do is to have a beer on a Friday afternoon, and the most un-australian thing is to be stealing that money, and that’s what the Government is doing,” he said.

Beer sales in Australia in April fell 44 per cent compared to the same period last year. be anwill be