Coalition plan to cut tobacco excise by 80% ‘will kill people,’ Labor says amid public health alarm
News Source
•Thu, 03 Sep 2026 05:05:56 GMT
📰 What Happened
The Coalition has announced a plan to cut tobacco excise by 80 percent, dropping a standard packet of 20 cigarettes from about $30 to $6. They also want to legalise and regulate vapes and nicotine pouches. They say the plan will fight the illegal tobacco trade, which controls more than half of Australian sales.
Labor and public health experts have rejected the idea. The Australian Medical Association says cutting the price of cigarettes will 'kill people' by making smoking cheaper and more common.
🔍 The Backstory
For decades, Australia has used high tobacco taxes to make smoking too expensive and cut smoking rates. That policy has saved many lives. But it also created a huge black market, because people could buy cheap illegal cigarettes instead.
The Coalition says lower prices will undercut criminals and fund a $200 million police crackdown. Health experts say the opposite: cheaper smokes mean more cancer, heart disease and deaths, especially among poorer Australians.
🎯 Why It Matters
How Australia taxes tobacco decides how many people smoke and how many die from it. This plan touches public health, crime and government revenue all at once. The debate matters for every Australian family.
The Coalition has announced a plan to cut tobacco excise by 80 percent, dropping a standard packet of 20 cigarettes from about $30 to $6. They also want to legalise and regulate vapes and nicotine pouches. They say the plan will fight the illegal tobacco trade, which controls more than half of Australian sales.
Labor and public health experts have rejected the idea. The Australian Medical Association says cutting the price of cigarettes will 'kill people' by making smoking cheaper and more common.
For decades, Australia has used high tobacco taxes to make smoking too expensive and cut smoking rates. That policy has saved many lives. But it also created a huge black market, because people could buy cheap illegal cigarettes instead.
The Coalition says lower prices will undercut criminals and fund a $200 million police crackdown. Health experts say the opposite: cheaper smokes mean more cancer, heart disease and deaths, especially among poorer Australians.
How Australia taxes tobacco decides how many people smoke and how many die from it. This plan touches public health, crime and government revenue all at once. The debate matters for every Australian family.