27/06/2026
🔥🇦🇺Australia's to***co tax policy is once again at the centre of public debate after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson proposed reducing the federal to***co excise by **50%** and pausing any further increases for the next two years.
According to Hanson, rising cigarette prices have encouraged more smokers to purchase illegal to***co products, allowing organised crime to expand the black market while reducing government tax revenue. She argues that lowering the excise could make legal to***co more competitive, weaken the illegal trade, and improve community safety.
Supporters believe the current system has not achieved its intended goals and say a different approach is needed to reduce the influence of criminal networks involved in illicit to***co sales.
However, public health experts and many critics argue that reducing to***co taxes could make smoking more affordable, particularly for young people, and could reverse years of progress in lowering smoking rates. They believe strong to***co taxes remain one of the most effective ways to discourage smoking and improve public health.
The proposal has sparked a nationwide discussion about whether Australia should continue prioritising higher to***co taxes or adopt a different strategy to tackle the growing illegal to***co market.
Do you support Pauline Hanson's proposal to cut Australia's to***co tax by 50%?