Your next round at the pub is set to get more expensive as Australia’s alcohol tax rises again. The federal government’s alcohol excise increased on Monday to $103.89 — the third highest in the world, the alcohol industry claims. Australia has now overtaken Japan to also have the third-highest beer tax in the world, behind only Norway and Finland, the brewing industry said.
” Gibb said the tax increase compounded existing pressures impacting venues, such as rent, electricity, freight and insurance. “But in contrast to those unavoidable cost increases, these six-monthly tax hikes are completely at the federal government’s discretion,” he said. Countless craft breweries have shut up shop recently as the embattled industry feels the brunt of high costs and dwindling customers.