the stupidity of taxing heavily, page-3

@Scott th Ratbag; governments haven't hesitated to raise taxes on products consumed by Aussie Battlers of which tobacco and beer are two good examples. John Howard's fuel excise together with the 10% GST atop it remain the greatest financial burden on Aussie Battlers since Federation.

It does indeed seem to be the case that taxes on fags and grog are now so high that boot-legging, 'chop-chop' and robbing retailers of product are more than worth the risk.

Meanwhile no-one checks people entering Australia on private yachts, private jets etc as Australia wrestles with the USA for the title of the World's greatest users of hard drugs which were previously the province of the rich-or-famous but increasingly the playthings of global playboys and drug cartels.

When cocaine packages started washing up on beaches from Wollongong to the Gold Coast our governments hardly even batted an eyelid.