The Australian Retail Council has reinforced the need to cut tobacco excise as part of broader reforms to tackle illicit tobacco and organised crime.
Responding to the release of the Coalition Taskforce to Tackle Illegal Tobacco report, Australian Retail Council Chief Executive Officer Chris Rodwell said:
“There is a clear case for an excise cut. Few well-intentioned policy decisions have delivered social and economic consequences this serious.
“A black market has flourished, organised crime and associated violence have grown, legitimate retailers have been severely hampered and the nation’s tobacco excise revenue has collapsed.
“On any measure, the current approach has been a failure. We need to set a new path that protects public health, restores control to legitimate and regulated retailers, and wipes organised criminals out of Australia’s tobacco market,” said Mr Rodwell.
About us: Australian Retail Council (ARC) represents a $444 billion sector that employs 1.4 million Australians across metropolitan, regional, and remote communities – making retail the largest private sector employer in the country and a significant contributor to the Australian economy. Our membership spans the full spectrum of Australian retail, from family-owned small and independent retailers that make up 95% of our membership, through to our largest national and international retailers that employ thousands of Australians and support both metropolitan and regional communities every day.
