Minister Madeleine Ogilvie is gloating to Tasmanians that Jeremy Rockliff’s beer tax has ripped $120,000 from the pockets of Tasmanians at a time when cost-of-living pressures are as high as ever.

With one million containers now processed through the program, Tasmanians have paid approximately $220,000 more for drinks, with only $100,000 of that given back to the community in refunds.

Labor supports a container deposit scheme, and we support charities and sporting organisations being able to benefit from one.

What we don’t support is Tasmania having the most expensive scheme in the nation – with the cost increase for buying a drink more than double the amount returned for recycling a container.

Jeremy Rockliff still hasn’t been able to adequately explain why Tasmania’s scheme is so much more expensive than other states, and what the 12 cents per container his tax raises above the refund cost is going towards.

Luke Edmunds MLC
Shadow Minister for Finance