Fed: No deal yet on beer excise Democrats

AAP General News (Australia)
04-03-2001
Fed: No deal yet on beer excise Democrats

Australian Democrats leader MEG LEES says talks with the federal government on the
beer excise are progressing and focused on checking figures.

The Democrats were yesterday hopeful of putting the finishing touches to a deal over
beer excise, which could cut up to $200 million from the Budget surplus.

The government has reluctantly agreed to cut the beer excise after Labor and the Democrats
insisted it stick to a pre-GST promise that the price of ordinary beer would rise by only
1.9 per cent.

The government insists the promise is only meant to apply to packaged beer but is resigned
to giving up about $180 million of already-collected excise.

Senator LEES told reporters this morning, that unfortunately she didn't have anything
to tell them.

She says they've got various opinions as to the level of change that is needed.

She says it's complicated by the vast range of prices for a middy or a schooner.

But she says the Democrats are not prepared to accept the government's modelling.

Ms LEES says the government's figures are a long way from where the beer industry believes
they should be and the Democrats had their own independent modelling to consider.

AAP RTV lm/alt

KEYWORD: BEER DEMOCRATS (CANBERRA)

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