New Tobacco Duty Rate in Australia

[El Presidente]

$1291.77 a kilo effective today. 

...and they wonder why they have a problem with illegally imported tobacco. Morons 

[havanaclub]

Wow. Probably close to Canada’s maybe less


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[gweilgi]

Not morons, IMO.  This is a calculated policy, standard government playbook stuff.  Create a self-fulfilling prophecy to justify and legitimise intrusive policies.

First step, they create a situation where widespread illegality becomes not just likely but inevitable.  

Second step, they publicise said illegality, preferably with large sums attached to "prove" how big the problem is.  Blame is being cast, ministers fall over themselves to appear on camera explaining how they would love to be able to pay for thousands more nurses, teachers and so on but cannot because of these anti-social, nay criminal, elements.

Third step, they use this as an excuse to tighten the screws on everybody: introduce new laws and more restrictive regulations, ramp up enforcement efforts and legitimise bullying extortionate standover tactics by government agencies.  To wit, the recent news on restricting cash transactions, the announcement of yet another ATO crackdown on "tax dodgers" and figures of $51 billion in "lost revenue" bandied about (expressly including tobacco taxes).  

And the most frustrating part of this is that all too many voters sit there and agree with them ... right up to the moment where this bites them on the arse.  

[Duxnutz]

Ludicrous. When does it stop going up exponentially?

[Fuzz AI]

5 hours ago, Duxnutz said:

Ludicrous. When does it stop going up exponentially?

When the revenue starts falling.

[Fuzz AI]

45 minutes ago, bdw1984 said:

@El Presidente expected % impact/increase on cigar prices?

Nothing for international customers. This only affects Aussies.

[TBird55]

9 hours ago, gweilgi said:

Not morons, IMO.  This is a calculated policy, standard government playbook stuff.  Create a self-fulfilling prophecy to justify and legitimise intrusive policies.

First step, they create a situation where widespread illegality becomes not just likely but inevitable.  

Second step, they publicise said illegality, preferably with large sums attached to "prove" how big the problem is.  Blame is being cast, ministers fall over themselves to appear on camera explaining how they would love to be able to pay for thousands more nurses, teachers and so on but cannot because of these anti-social, nay criminal, elements.

Third step, they use this as an excuse to tighten the screws on everybody: introduce new laws and more restrictive regulations, ramp up enforcement efforts and legitimise bullying extortionate standover tactics by government agencies.  To wit, the recent news on restricting cash transactions, the announcement of yet another ATO crackdown on "tax dodgers" and figures of $51 billion in "lost revenue" bandied about (expressly including tobacco taxes).  

And the most frustrating part of this is that all too many voters sit there and agree with them ... right up to the moment where this bites them on the arse.  

Governments around the world are restricting cash transactions, and if the truth be told, want to remove cash completely. Once they have all our money digitalized, they will have the power to control nearly every aspect of our lives. I pray it never happens, but it's coming.

[PigFish]

10 hours ago, gweilgi said:

Not morons, IMO.  This is a calculated policy, standard government playbook stuff.  Create a self-fulfilling prophecy to justify and legitimise intrusive policies.

First step, they create a situation where widespread illegality becomes not just likely but inevitable.  

Second step, they publicise said illegality, preferably with large sums attached to "prove" how big the problem is.  Blame is being cast, ministers fall over themselves to appear on camera explaining how they would love to be able to pay for thousands more nurses, teachers and so on but cannot because of these anti-social, nay criminal, elements.

Third step, they use this as an excuse to tighten the screws on everybody: introduce new laws and more restrictive regulations, ramp up enforcement efforts and legitimise bullying extortionate standover tactics by government agencies.  To wit, the recent news on restricting cash transactions, the announcement of yet another ATO crackdown on "tax dodgers" and figures of $51 billion in "lost revenue" bandied about (expressly including tobacco taxes).  

And the most frustrating part of this is that all too many voters sit there and agree with them ... right up to the moment where this bites them on the arse.  

... you just describe democratic socialism...! Stripping or infringing on the rights of others is always okay because someone voted for someone else that does it. Democracy is a process, not a superior form of government. The minority is always abused by the democracy. In the grand scheme of individual liberties, everyone holds some minority position somewhere. This equation means everyone eventually loses and all power is transferred to the governing body. All neat and legal as long as the elections are free!

Sorry my friends. Socialism sucks! There are no 'good forms.' The more you wand from government, the more it takes from you.

-the Pig

[Bagman]

for those of who don't buy cigars by the kilos or pounds (which is 587 dollars per pound)  what does that mean for a price of say a churchill?

[Sir Sooty]

12 minutes ago, Monterey said:

for those of who don't buy cigars by the kilos or pounds (which is 587 dollars per pound)  what does that mean for a price of say a churchill?

Churchill is 15 grams, so the tax would be about $21 AUD incl GST

Basically it doubles the cost of any decent cigar

The rate of duty is virtually the same rate as exchange traded gold or silver...

When tobacco is more valuable than gold or silver...something is not quite right...

[El Presidente]

2 hours ago, PigFish said:

... you just describe democratic socialism...! Stripping or infringing on the rights of others is always okay because someone voted for someone else that does it. Democracy is a process, not a superior form of government. The minority is always abused by the democracy. In the grand scheme of individual liberties, everyone holds some minority position somewhere. This equation means everyone eventually loses and all power is transferred to the governing body. All neat and legal as long as the elections are free!

Sorry my friends. Socialism sucks! There are no 'good forms.' The more you wand from government, the more it takes from you.

-the Pig

Don't you mean democracy sucks?

Where in play is democratic capitalism? Isn't it always democratic socialism? 

[PigFish]

Democratic capitalism is the free market. This means if people want it, they buy it. You might say, every dollar, or other currency unit is a free cast vote. It is the sole reason you are in business. It certainly is not due to democratic socialism.

Democracy then, in its highest and best form is a system of selection, a process, not a form of government. As a form of government it is a failure as the minority, in this case the cigar smoker and the businesses built upon it, are demonized and destroyed in what is considered a legal process. This process can kill people, lynch them, murder them, destroy companies and entire countries. Your cigar business is under attack by the very government that was established to protect your rights to make a living. Your customers are under attack by the very government sworn to protect their rights to conduct business freely.

When one can vote away the rights of others, there is no freedom for anyone.

When one can vote his/her dollars, then they are free, and so are his neighbors that can vote their dollars as they wish. That is the difference.

Democratic capitalism represents freedom. Democratic socialism represents tyranny. 

-Piggy

[El Presidente]

50 minutes ago, PigFish said:

Democratic capitalism is the free market.  

-Piggy

I think we have had this discussion before 

Democratic capitalism exists only in pre 2007 text books. 

The maxim of  "people want it, they buy it" turned into "If people don't want it we bail out the business if they are too big to fail"  Even if they are not, let's throw in Trillions in quantative easing. 

Pure capitalism died some time ago.  Mind you, the end game of unregulated capitalism appears to be monopoly/oligopoly  (facebook/google etal) and all the totalitarian consequences that come with it. 

Solution? No idea. 

[sharks]

Just becoming the norm suxs to be us ?

[BeerPimp]

On 9/1/2019 at 10:31 PM, El Presidente said:

$1291.77 a kilo effective today. 

...and they wonder why they have a problem with illegally imported tobacco. Morons 

I guess they never heard of the Laffer curve.

[HopeUgood]

28 minutes ago, BeerPimp said:

I guess they never heard of the Laffer curve.

I am curious what that looks like on goods/services that is highly inelastic . 

[argrovesjd]

How soon will you have to increase your prices?

[Fuzz AI]

1 hour ago, argrovesjd said:

How soon will you have to increase your prices?

It is already in effect as of the 1st September. These are biannual CPI increases (March & September), with a little extra kick in the teeth with the September increase.

[westg]

On 9/3/2019 at 2:18 AM, Monterey said:

for those of who don't buy cigars by the kilos or pounds (which is 587 dollars per pound)  what does that mean for a price of say a churchill?

Not ftom Rob ...where I live Around $150

A friend of mine paid  $106 for a JL No2 a few months back. 1 cigar. 

A box of Esplendidos...nudging 4K again not from Rob ..a shop near me