Fed: Nelson siding with industry over alcopops, Roxon

AAP General News (Australia)
08-19-2008
Fed: Nelson siding with industry over alcopops, Roxon

Health Minister NICOLA ROXON has accused federal Opposition Leader BRENDAN NELSON of
siding with the alcohol industry over the government's alcopops tax increase.

Ms ROXON says Dr NELSON is putting the health of young Australians at risk by holding
up the government's 70 per cent increase in the excise on ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages
in the senate.

She says early tax office figures show the measure has resulted in a 23 per cent decline
in consumption of spirits .. including a massive decline in consumption of alcopops.

Ms ROXON says Dr NELSON is in denial over the success of the measure and she's challenged
him to explain what effects reversing the tax increase will have.

AAP RTV kn/dg/gfr/crh/bart

KEYWORD: ALCOPOPS (MELBOURNE)

2008 AAP Information Services Pty Limited (AAP) or its Licensors.