The Price Of Tap Beer Just Went Up Again With The Bi-Annual Draught Beer Tax Hike

We were today years old when we learned that on August 1 and February 1, every year for the past 35 years, tax on draught beer in Australia increases.

And today is one of those days with a 2.1% increase for the six month period, taking our draught beer rate to $36.98 and shoring up Australia’s status as home to the fourth highest beer tax in the world.

Only in Norway, Finland and Japan is beer more expensive.

Given the past couple of years and that little pandemic that’s wreaked havoc on the hospitality industry, the Australian Hotels Association (AHA), Clubs Australia (CA) and the Brewers Association (BA) have called on the Federal Government to deliver some tax relief.

“It is unacceptable that despite having the fourth highest beer tax in the world, we continue to see automatic increases twice a year which only pushes up the cost of a pint,” said AHA President Bradley Woods. “The AHA is lobbying both the Federal Government and the opposition to freeze further increases to stop the relentless increase in the price of a beer…

“After two years of lockdowns, capacity restrictions and uncertainty throughout the hospitality industry, we urge both the Government and the opposition to move away from a default position of blindly approving beer excise increases.”

BA Chief Executive John Preston, said “We are very concerned that on February 1, Australian beer drinkers will cop the biggest beer tax increase in more than a decade – it’s not right and it’s not sustainable.

“Other countries have been reducing their tax on draught beer to give pubs and beer drinkers a break.”

According to the groups, cutting the draught beer tax by 50 per cent would result reduce the Government’s revenue by $150 million per year.

And with supply shortages and wage increases on the cards, if not already happening, the cost of a pint down at your local could be about to get even worse.