ECONOMIC
FORUM LUNCH
Mr
Tony Gapes, Deputy Chairman, DSICA, Liberal Party Federal Conference
Economic Lunch.
Adelaide June 2003.
Mr. Chairman, The Hon Peter Costello, Members of Parliament,
Business Observers and Guests.
Once again it is DSICA’s pleasure to sponsor the Economic
Forum lunch and to have the Treasurer as our principal guest. On behalf
of our members I extend to you all a warm welcome.
We reiterate the congratulations we extended to the Government
at the last luncheon, for the Alcohol Tax Reform introduced in ‘A
New Tax System’ when, by bringing the Tax rates for Ready to Drink
Products closer to packaged beer, it recognised that alcohol is alcohol
whether it is brewed, distilled or fermented.
We urge the Government to continue this reform as significant
anomalies still remain. As you will see from your placemats different
tax rates continue for different beverages with spirits paying 73 cents
per standard drink, Ready to Drink 43 cents, Draught Beer 23 cents and
Cask Wine 7 cents.
Once again we have provided a selection of our Members’
Ready to Drink or RTD products, which we hope you will enjoy.
This category is currently experiencing increased popularity
because of its convenience, variety and innovation and this has caused
our competitors, elements of the Health Lobby and the media, to assert
that these are high alcohol, sweet tasting beverages designed to recruit
young female drinkers.
| The
facts are: |
|
•
|
There is no more alcohol
in a RTD than a stubby of beer. |
|
•
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RTDs comprise just
6.9% of the Australian alcohol market, compared to wine at 33%
and beer at 49%. |
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Over 60% of the RTD
market is dark spirits, i.e. bourbon, rum and scotch base, which
is the preferred drink of males over 25. |
•
|
RTD growth has not created
new drinkers but is taking from the beer and full strength spirit
market. |
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Significant sectors of the Health
Lobby support the swing to RTDs because consumers are receiving
a measured amount of spirit rather than pouring their own. |
| The 2001 National
Drug Strategy household survey, which is the most comprehensive
and credible national survey of teenage drinking patterns, concluded
as follows: |
|
•
|
Male teenagers drinking
at low risk, risky or high risk levels of harm most commonly drank
beer |
|
•
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Female teenagers drinking
at low risk levels of harm most commonly drank bottled RTDs |
|
•
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Female teenagers drinking
at risky or high risk levels of harm most commonly drank full
strength bottled spirits and liqueurs. |
Mr. Treasurer we congratulate you on continuing to deliver such a sound
economy, which enables Australian business to plan for the future with
confidence. We look forward to your address today, which will no doubt
show some of those stunning charts that you included in your Post Budget
address to the National Press Club.
We know that this may not have been your happiest week but
we sincerely urge you to be of good spirit.
Ladies and gentlemen please enjoy our hospitality.
