Comments on: Liberal Leadership contest – what difference does it make?

By: Thomas Paine

Thomas Paine — Fri, 19 Sep 2008 16:30:35 +0000

The industry has already said they wouldn’t be seeking a refund in the event of the bill being blocked.

By: Generic Person

Generic Person — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 11:29:15 +0000

If the bill subsequently fails to pass the Senate, the tax/excise will have to be refunded.

By: Andrew Bartlett

Andrew Bartlett — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 06:26:16 +0000

I’ve heard the Libs are thinking of opposing the Alcopops tax. On what grounds I wonder? Also, it seems the price of alcopops have already gone up, yet the bill is not before the senate yet. How is this so?

You’d have to look at the Liberal’s own statements to make your assessment about why they may oppose the alcopops tax rise – but to me the gist of their arguments seems to be their belief that it is a ‘tax grab’ with no (or insufficient) public health benefit to justify it.

As to how the tax could still gone up even though legislation hasn’t passed yet (indeed hasn’t even been tabled yet), it has to do with what I have always thought was a rather strange mechanism through which excise is levied – which in short enables the government to authorise an immediate excise increase and have up to twelve months to validate it through legislation.

By: Evan Beaver

Evan Beaver — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 02:17:49 +0000

Totally agree Andrew. Most of the “leadership speculation” was self serving media generated nonsense. The way I saw it, Costello made his (lack of) intention pretty clear. They were just trying to drum up some drama to sell advertising.

I’ve heard the Libs are thinking of opposing the Alcopops tax. On what grounds I wonder? Also, it seems the price of alcopops have already gone up, yet the bill is not before the senate yet. How is this so?

By: Spam Inbox

Spam Inbox — Tue, 16 Sep 2008 09:52:22 +0000

what difference does it make

Soundbites… Turnbull will make for much better soundbites… and they are powerful things