What is Labor hiding in Tobacco Tax smoke and mirrors?

Australians cannot be expected to take Labor’s tobacco tax seriously while the ALP continues to refuse to release the number of smokers it will reduce.

Despite Labor’s flustered protests today that their tax is designed as a health measure, Labor have only to date released figures on how much revenue they desperately hope it will raise.

This is despite Labor claiming their tax was modelled to factor in ‘behaviour change’.

“When providing its costings, the PBO considered behavioural changes including a reduction in smoking rates that are likely to result from the change in policy.

“The PBO costing assumes that more Australians will give up smoking cigarettes when compared to a ‘no policy change’ scenario.

Catherine King – 24 October 2015 – Media Release – Labor Steps Up Efforts To Reduce Tobacco Consumptionhttp://www.catherineking.com.au/media/labor-steps-up-efforts-to-reduce-tobacco-consumpti/

Therefore Australians are right to question why Labor still refuses to release the exact reductions in smoking rates their tax will deliver. 

This is what I am first and foremost interested in as Minister for Health.

So what is Labor hiding in their tobacco tax smoke and mirrors?

Labor has already admitted they expect their tobacco tax will hurt the most the most vulnerable Australians.

Labor’s tax also comes with no detail around ‘trade-off’ reinvestment in education programmes or other health measures encouraging Australians to quit smoking. 

I encourage Australians interested in reducing smoking rates in this country to continue to put pressure on Labor to release their modelling on exactly how many smokers their tax will reduce.

Because until Labor do, Australians are right to be cynical that this is nothing but another cash grab from Labor dressed up as a health measure.