Tony Farrell's letter 27 May 2011 stated that he was querulous that the budget did not include an additional excise tax on alcohol, and that alcohol related damages is costing us around 5 billion each year.
You probably will be aware Tony, that Aunty Ruth in her 1991 mother of all budgets, introduced a perpetual annual tax increase each July on alcohol, based on the Consumer Price Index.
Therefore it was totally unnecessary to add any additional taxes to alcohol. I hope you were just as cantankerous when Bill English omitted to increase the tax on all items that may cause obesity, or failed to put up the tax on petrol, because a few hoons cause havoc on our roads: these also costs us big time. What about an extra tax on ladders, as there is a number tradesmen and DIYer's that keep falling off them, and this costs ACC heaps. You seem very keen to penalise the rest of society, because of the small minority who failed to act responsibly.
Rather then further burdening the consumers of alcohol with more taxes, we should be exploring the many other avenues open to us, with the view of lowering the costs of alcohol related damages.

Brian Porter, Welcome Bay.