Latest news with #excise
News.com.au
2 days ago
- Politics
- News.com.au
NSW Premier Chris Minns under fire after federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers rules out tobacco excise change
NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman has slammed suggestions by Premier Chris Minns that the tobacco excise could be slashed to make cigarettes cheaper as the state grapples with a boom in illicit sales connected to organised crime. Mr Minns this week called on the federal government to re-evaluate the excise amid concerns about the dramatic increase in under-the-counter cigarette sales and the number of tobacco stores, which ballooned in 2024 to 19,500. The suggestion set off a new confrontation between the Labor government and the Liberal-National Coalition, who are simultaneously fighting to stop controversial workers compensation laws being passed as is in parliament on Thursday. Mr Speakman accused Mr Minns of having allowed NSW to become the 'chop-chop capital' of Australia, and his plan would not work after Treasurer Jim Chalmers ruled out any change to the tobacco excise on Wednesday. 'Illegal tobacco businesses have exploded under Chris Minns, and organised criminal gangs are raking in big money because they know NSW has minimal enforcement and some of the weakest penalties in the country,' he said. 'While other states have acted to drastically increase penalties and improve enforcement, Chris Minns has been missing in action. 'Now that the federal Treasurer has ruled out changes to the federal excise, Chris Minns needs to tell people how he is going to tackle this issue.' One key sticking point for the Coalition is the role of police. Mr Speakman would not say on Wednesday whether he believed the tobacco crisis was a NSW Police issue, rather than NSW Health one, after Mr Minns suggested police resources might have to be reallocated to combat the trade. Opposition police spokesman Paul Toole said police were being called in as the last line of defence to 'pick up the slack' from NSW Health, which it was revealed had only about 30 inspectors for tobacco stores across NSW. 'The NSW Labor government is treating the NSW Police Force like a dogsbody to pick up the pieces after other agencies fail to do their job,' he said. 'The NSW Police Force is stretched paper thin and passing the buck to the police cannot be this government's answer to every issue.' Police Minister Yasmin Catley erupted on Wednesday during question time in parliament after she was asked by Mr Speakman whether she would 'expand the remit of Taskforce Falcon to disrupt criminal gangs involved in illegal tobacco?' The taskforce was established last month to oversee gang-related shootings, kidnappings, and arson attacks, with Ms Catley telling Mr Speakman that he 'knows that' NSW Health is responsible for enforcement. 'He has come in here and has the audacity to come in here and say the police are not doing their job,' she said. 'Well shame on you. Shame on you. 'NSW Police are doing absolutely everything they can and I am disgusted that the leader of the opposition could come to the NSW parliament and suggest otherwise.' Regulations around tobacco sales in NSW will change from July 1 when NSW Health will require businesses to 'seek permission' for a tobacco licence that could then be refused or revoked. A parliamentary inquiry into the illicit tobacco trade in NSW was also approved earlier this year with support from the Coalition. It is taking submissions, with the first hearings expected later this year.
Daily Mail
4 days ago
- Health
- Daily Mail
BREAKING NEWS Chris Minns gives Anthony Albanese's government a brutal wake-up call on issue impacting millions
The leader of Australia's most populous state has called for a review of the 'massive' federal excise on tobacco amid concerns of a growing black market. Ahead of the NSW budget on June 24, Premier Chris Minns said a decision had to be made about resources devoted to combating illicit tobacco sales. It could mean reallocating police away from domestic violence, youth crime and gang cases to regulate tobacco sales. 'We may need to do that because I'm concerned as a constituent and as a father to see the number of high street premises being taken over by tobacco firms,' he told reporters on Monday. 'But I wonder whether we need to roll this back a couple of steps and look more closely at the federal government's massive excise on tobacco.' The excise has driven down the number of smokers in NSW to about one in nine adults, the state's most recent population health survey shows. But the 'massive increase' in excise had 'exploded the illicit tobacco marketplace', Mr Minns said. 'It's meant that many people who wouldn't go near an illegal behaviour ordinarily are buying illicit tobacco almost on a daily basis,' he said. He called for the size of the excise and its influence on illicit tobacco sales to be investigated. There are an estimated 19,000 tobacco retailers in NSW, with a paid licensing scheme and steeper fines for selling illegal cigarettes to take effect in July to curb black market trade. Queensland police found a fake wall full of cash and a secret tobacco store on Thursday during a major crackdown on more than 20 illegal traders. In Victoria, illegal tobacco sales have prompted regular violence, with more than 100 firebombings in two years. The federal tobacco excise topped $1.40 per cigarette in March but the expected tax take has nosedived, with almost $7 billion wiped from projections in the federal budget. Economist Chris Richardson called the excise increase without a commensurate enforcement scheme an 'epic policy fail'. Treasurer Jim Chalmers' March budget revealed $6.9 billion had been wiped off tobacco excise projections to 2029, with about one in five smokers shifting to illicit cigarettes or vapes. In response, federal Labor committed $157 million across two years for federal health, crime and tax agencies to strengthen enforcement and target crime gangs. NSW Opposition Leader Mark Speakman said he would not advocate for a reduction in the excise. He said it was up to the Commonwealth to determine the excise and states to enforce the law. 'This is a matter for NSW Health but clearly it has been incapable, and Chris Minns has been incapable, of tackling this scourge,' he said. Mr Speakman said an inquiry was considering enforcement alternatives. Mr Minns said on Monday he wanted health officials running hospitals, not criminal investigations or enforcing bans on nicotine vapes. An estimated one in five adolescents vaped at least occasionally in 2024, up from one in 40 adolescents in 2019. In 2021-22, an estimated 1.9 million Australian adults were current daily smokers. This represents about 10.1 per cent of the adult population, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
ABC News
5 days ago
- Business
- ABC News
NSW premier calls for lower tobacco excise as black market cigarette sales boom
NSW Premier Chris Minns has called on the federal government to consider lowering the tobacco excise, suggesting its current level may be contributing to the rise of illegal tobacco across the country. In March it was revealed in the federal budget the bottom line had been dealt an almost $7 billion blow in tobacco tax revenue, as black market cigarette sales boom. The treasury is forecasting $6.9 billion will be slashed between now and 2029 on the back of Australians turning to cheaper illegal tobacco or switching to vapes. "We need to have a look at how big this excise is, how it's driving illegal tobacco sales in our community," Mr Minns said. "And is it the best use of NSW Police time to be devoted to tobacco sales, when in the end the federal government's not getting the excise that they thought — they're not getting that tax that they would get from that massive increase." Cigarette prices in Australia are considered to be one of the highest in the world, according to the World Health Organization, with taxes accounting for roughly three quarters of the price. The justification for this excise, which was first introduced as a 25 per cent increase in 2010 and has increased in the years since, is reducing smoking rates. In 2023, the federal government said the excise would grow by 5 per cent annually for three years, starting that September. According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, around one quarter of people who smoked in 2024 had smoked unbranded tobacco in their lifetime. "I'm completely in support of the public health messaging, but you'd be crazy to just turn a blind eye to the proliferation of illegal tobacco sales and think to yourself, 'Isn't there a better way of allocating public money?'" Mr Minns said. In a statement, federal Treasurer Jim Chalmers acknowledged "the significant problem of illegal tobacco". "Tobacco excise is an important public health measure to encourage people to give up smoking," Mr Chalmers said. "We are working with NSW and the other states and territories when it comes to the enforcement challenge with illegal tobacco." He said the federal government had invested an additional $157 million in enforcement and compliance for tobacco in the recent budget. James Martin, a senior lecturer in criminology at Deakin University, said high taxes combined with legislation permitting other avenues for nicotine consumption including vaping, created an environment for illicit tobacco to flourish. He said it was worthwhile to question the government's taxing and spending priorities. "Police forces are stretched around the country with more pressing crime problems," Dr Martin said. "Whether that's intimate partner violence or terrorism, you name it — there's a real problem that police are facing with resource allocation as it is," he said. However he said it was difficult to know how the government could respond to the booming black market. "Because [federal Minister for Health] Mark Butler has said explicitly that any attempt to not even reverse tobacco tax, but just simply pause tobacco tax, would be raising the white flag for, you know, for big tobacco. "And I think with that kind of rhetoric, it's difficult, it's difficult to de-escalate."
Reuters
23-05-2025
- Politics
- Reuters
Indonesia appoints former military officer as head of customs and excise
JAKARTA, May 23 (Reuters) - Indonesian Finance Minister Sri Mulyani Indrawati on Friday appointed retired Lieutenant General Djaka Budhi Utama, a former military officer who was once found guilty of kidnapping rights activists, as the head of the country's customs and excise unit. Sri Mulyani also appointed Bimo Wijayanto, a civil servant who was previously posted to the tax office, investment ministry and president's chief of staff, as the new head of the tax office. Human rights activists had raised concerns about Utama's appointment, in part because before Friday's ceremony he was still thought to be an active military officer. Under Indonesian law, military personnel are barred from holding some civilian posts, including in the Finance Ministry. However, during the inauguration ceremony, a presentation detailing his profile referred to Utama as a retired Lieutenant General. Having retired from the military, he would be eligible to hold the post.
Associated Press
18-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ELEKS has been Selected as a Government Vendor to Deliver Ukraine's eExcise System
ELEKS selected to build Ukraine's eExcise system—digitally transforming alcohol and tobacco excise tracking for greater transparency and government control. LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM, UNITED KINGDOM, May 18, 2025 / / -- ELEKS has been selected from numerous local and international software companies to implement a transformational digital initiative for Ukraine's government. The eExcise system will regulate the circulation of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products in Ukraine, aiming to increase monitoring and control in these sectors. ELEKS has become a software partner of choice for delivering Ukraine's electronic excise stamp system, eExcise, following a competitive tender process conducted by the Digital Transformation Activity (DTA). Set to replace traditional paper excise stamps, eExcise will introduce electronic stamps with unique codes, enhancing transparency in the excise goods market. The system will allow licensed producers to generate and apply DataMatrix-coded stamps directly onto alcohol and tobacco products, streamlining the process and reducing bureaucracy. More information about the project. Key features of eExcise: — Electronic activation of stamps upon tax payment — Improved government oversight of excisable goods — Potential increase in budget revenues through reducing the shadow market — Consumer verification of product information via the Diia app The eExcise project is a collaborative effort of the Ministry of Digital Transformation, the Ministry of Finance, and the State Tax Service of Ukraine. It is supported by USAID and UK Dev through the Digital Transformation Activity, with East Europe Foundation and the Institute of Analytics and Advocacy as implementing partners. 'This initiative, set to be developed by the end of 2025, promises to digitally transform the alcohol and tobacco excise processes in Ukraine, address inefficiencies in this field, and thus significantly influence the Ukrainian economy. In March, the ELEKS team successfully launched the MVP of the eExcise system, which was opened for public testing. This marks a big step in modernising alcohol and tobacco industry regulations.', commented Vladyslav Hapanovych, Head of the Engineering Division, US Gov Projects at ELEKS. ELEKS delivers comprehensive solutions for the public sector, assisting governments and institutions in their digital transformation journeys. The company specialises in developing highly efficient systems for document management, task tracking, data management, cybersecurity, and business process optimisation, all designed to enhance the quality of public services. With extensive experience collaborating with government entities across various countries, ELEKS empowers the public sector to improve transparency, security, and efficiency through modern technologies and innovative strategies. For over 20 years, the company has worked with Teleologica on eGov projects in the UK and Crown Dependencies, modernising excise, tax, and transport systems. About the eExcise project The eExcise is an innovative electronic excise stamp system being developed for Ukraine to replace traditional paper stamps for alcohol and tobacco products. Designed to enhance transparency and efficiency in the excise goods market, the system will use unique DataMatrix codes for improved government oversight, the potential increase in budget revenues, and consumer verification via the Diia app. About ELEKS ELEKS is a trusted partner for guaranteed software engineering excellence, quality, and transparency every step of the way. The company has provided expert software engineering and consultancy services for over 30 years. Its talent pool of over 2,000+ specialists across Europe, the U.S., and the U.K. covers niches from custom software development to product design and technology advisory, making it the partner of choice for many of the world's leading enterprises, SMEs, and technology challengers. Solomiya Yakymiv ELEKS Software UK Limited +44 2045830843 [email protected] Visit us on social media: LinkedIn Instagram Facebook YouTube X Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
