CANBERRA—Health groups have applauded the Federal Government's lightning move to virtually double taxes on alcopops in the battle on binge drinking.
The excise on pre-mixed alcoholic beverages was lifted at midnight from $39 a litre to $67, putting them on an equal footing with bottled spirits.
The move is aimed at young drinkers, with the sugary, cheaper drinks blamed for a rise in teenage binge drinking.
Pre-mixed drinks will now cost between 30 cents and $1.30 more per bottle, reversing an eight-year-old excise cut which made alcopops cheaper than straight spirits.
The Australian Drug Foundation described the move as a big step in the right direction.
"This tax fixes a problem that started with the introduction of the GST and shows that the Government is serious about tackling alcohol problems in our community," foundation chief executive officer John Rogerson said.
Volumetric taxation was one of the most effective ways to reduce excessive consumption, he said.
The Public Health Association of Australia (PHA) said the price rise would have a major impact on drinking amoNg young people, especially young women.
Alcopops were the first drink for as many as 60 per cent of girls, PHA president Mike Daube said.
"There is now dramatic evidence showing that young women are out-drinking their male counterparts - and unfortunately many of them drink to get drunk," Professor Daube said.
"We know that price is the most effective single measure in reducing alcohol consumption, especially by young people.
"This increase will make a real dent in one of our biggest current social problems."
New figures released today show that girls aged 12 to 15 are more than three times as likely as boys of the same age to drink alcohol at least once a week.
More than one in 10 teenage girls are drinking at dangerous levels, compared with seven per cent of teenage boys.
The tax change will be worth about $2 billion a year for the Government and Health Minister Nicola Roxon says a "big chunk" of that will be spent on a national preventative health strategy.
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