ladbible logo

To make sure you never miss out on your favourite NEW stories, we're happy to send you some reminders

Click 'OK' then 'Allow' to enable notifications

Beer Will Cost More In Australia From Today As Tax Levy Increases

Beer Will Cost More In Australia From Today As Tax Levy Increases

More than 40 per cent of the cost of a carton of beer is tax.

Stewart Perrie

Stewart Perrie

Beer, a liquid beloved by loads of Australians, will become a little bit more expensive today as the tax levy attached to it increases.

The levy jumps every six months and sadly that time is today.

Aussies will now be paying $2.26 per litre of alcohol, making the Land Down Under the country with the fourth highest beer tax in the developed world.

PA

Our tax levy is 17 times higher than Germany (and we know they love to knock back a Stein or two), 15 times higher than Spain, seven times worse than America, six times more than Canada, a little more than four times higher than France and nearly double than New Zealand.

At the end of the day, it's just bloody high.

According to AAP, the money spent per litre of alcohol in individual containers of less than eight litres and more than 3.5 per cent alcohol volume, will increase from $50.70 to $51.31.

While it might not be a massive amount every time you head to a bar or to the bottle shop, it all adds up at the end of the year.

Brewers Association of Australia CEO Brett Heffernan said: "It's getting to the point that having a beer with your mates is beyond the reach of ordinary Australians.

PA

"By far the biggest cost in the price of a typical Australian beer is tax. It's not the ingredients, production costs, advertising, transport or even retail overheads and profits...it's the Australian Government tax.

"A massive 42 per cent of the retail price on a carton of beer is tax.

"Beer tax has been going up every six months for the last 35 years. This latest slug is the 71st consecutive hike.

"Beer tax is now out of control. Simply freezing the six-monthly CPI increases will only lock-in the unreasonably high tax Australians are already paying. The rate of beer tax needs to be addressed if punters are to get genuine relief."

But enjoy it while you can because you can expect another tax levy to be introduced in July and then, guess what, another one in February next year.

Featured Image Credit: PA

Topics: News, Australia