Minimum pricing ditched in Australia

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Have you noticed all the countries lining up to introduce minimum pricing after it was such a world-leading success in Scotland? You haven't because there aren't any. Wales and Ireland were daft enough to follow suit and that's about it. Parts of Canada have had a version of it for years and Russia has experimented with it for vodka, but otherwise the rest of the world doesn't want to know, despite the WHO recommending it in a report written by Colin 'Nostradamus' Angus with the help of Aveek Bhattacharya, then of the "Institute of Alcohol Studies" and now - terrifying - working at the Treasury.

The neo-temperance lobby could boast that it still had Australia's Northern Territory, but no more. Last September, the NT government said that it would get rid of minimum pricing because - hold on to your hats! - it hadn't worked.

And now they have.

 

The Northern Territory Government has delivered on its election promise to remove the minimum floor price for alcohol.

The Liquor Legislation Amendment (Repeal of Minimum Pricing) Bill 2024 passed through Parliament yesterday.

The floor price, also known as the Minimum Unit Price (MUP), was introduced in 2018, with the current Country Liberal Party (CLP) Government saying it failed to achieve meaningful outcomes while imposing unnecessary burdens on responsible consumers and businesses.

Minister for Tourism and Hospitality Marie-Clare Boothby said: “Unlike the previous government, the CLP is focused on real reforms which deliver meaningful and fair results for all Territorians.

“The CLP Government has listened to the concerns of the community and industry, ensuring policy is rooted in evidence and effectiveness.

“We promised that 2025 would be a year of action, certainty and security for Territorians.

“We are committed to supporting a strong hospitality sector while ensuring alcohol policy is responsible, targeted, and evidence-based.”

Don't you love a vibe shift?

"We need solutions that address the complexities of alcohol-related harm, not blanket policies that punish the majority for the actions of a few.

"This is a line in the sand. Scrapping the floor price demonstrates our government’s commitment to real, meaningful change."

 

And so it does. Could we import some of this sanity to the UK please?

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