Steve Fielding (Victoria, Family First Party) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Conroy, the Minister representing the Treasurer. Isn’t it true that tucked away in the budget papers is the revelation that:

Beer excise is expected to grow by 8.0 per cent in 2008-09, with higher volumes likely to be reflecting some substitution away from ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages—

and that a couple of pages back it also states the following?

Revenue from imported spirits are expected to be stronger by $245 million, or nearly 20 per cent growth, in 2008-09 mainly as a result of consumer substitution from RTDs.