I am querulous to find that the budget did not include raising the excise tax on alcohol.
It has been estimated that alcohol related damage costs New Zealand over 5 Billion per year, which is the equivalent to the clean up costs of the Canterbury earthquake.
Raising tax has the weight of evidence behind it from the World Health organisation as being THE most effective harm reducing option for binge drinking. I am at a loss in these economic times as to why we have put more onus on employers with kiwisaver changes, when Care NZ report over 230,000 employees are at risk of alcohol related harm.
A sensible budget would look at the elephant in the room, but what concerns me is the fact that our Government won't do this even if asked.
Tony Farrell, Tauranga.