PRE-mixed drinks will be significantly cheaper within weeks after the government's alcopop tax was defeated today.
Family First Senator Steve Fielding blew a $1.6 billion hole in the government’s budget after joining with the Opposition to defeat the bill.
In a chaotic Senate late this afternoon, the bill was initially passed when Liberal/National senator Nigel Scullion failed to turn up to vote.
Mr Scullion said he missed the division because he was holding an impromptu meeting in a stairwell.
However, the government bowed to convention and permitted a second vote.
There are fears the decision could lead to an increase in teenage binge drinking, particularly among young girls.
The bill was supported by medical and alcohol and drug groups.
Senator Fielding refused to support the tax hike unless the Government promised to close a loophole that allows alcohol advertising on daytime television during sporting events.
Greens leader Bob Brown earlier called Senator Fielding’s stance irresponsible.
"Senator Fielding is the boy on the burning deck saying I'm going to throw you a lifeline having set flame to the ship," he told the Senate.
"Senator Fielding is scuttling legislation which has huge advantages for the Australian people and he'll be judged for it.
"But does he have the shoulders to bear the responsibility?"
Senator Brown said Senator Fielding was immature for saying he'd vote against the Bill because he hadn't got everything he wanted.
The Government had agreed to two of his demands: Warning labels on alcohol containers and an end to self-regulation of alcohol advertising.
"With Senator Fielding it's 'Give me what I want or no deal ... I'll dump all the gains made but the other senators''," the Greens leader said.
Health Minister Nicola Roxon had agreed to invest an extra $50 million in initiatives, including a sports sponsorship fund and alcohol helpline if the alcopops tax was passed unamended.
The opposition has called on the government to take urgent action so that the money collected under the failed alcopops tax does not go back to the alcohol industry.
Opposition health spokesman Peter Dutton said the government must table a bill in the House of Representatives in the next 24 hours to "validate" the $300 million in tax already collected.
That meant the money could be used to target binge drinking instead of going back to distillers, Mr Dutton said.
The opposition would support such a bill.
"This money should not go back to the alcohol industry," he told reporters after the alcopops vote.
"The ball's in the government's court."
Mr Dutton reiterated the opposition's decision to vote against the tax increase, saying it was a tax grab which had not tackled binge drinking.
Young binge drinkers were turning to spirits, cask wine and beer as they drank fewer alcopops, he said.
"This is a huge embarrassment for Nicola Roxon and the Rudd government," Mr Dutton said of the alcopops episode.
"They rolled the dice and they got it wrong."
<http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,25206284-661,00.html>
I'll be interesting to see if the price actually comes down in clubs and pubs !
