Media | State News

Palaszczuk’s unAustralian beer tax will cost jobs

13th August 2019

Shadow Minister for Small Business Fiona Simpson has again called on the Palaszczuk Labor Government to dump the huge hike for craft breweries in their emergency services management levy, which came into effect from July 1.

During a trip to Cairns today, Ms Simpson said the levy hike for small breweries was a cruel blow for the popular industry, causing operators unfair financial pressure.

“The high-taxing Palaszczuk Labor Government can’t keep its hands out of people’s pockets and now they’re even going after their beer,” Ms Simpson said.

“It’s unAustralian and true to form there was no consultation with businesses owners from Labor.

“They’re trying to blame councils, but it is the State Government that sets the rate and it is the State Government that has gazetted a new regulation to change the group under which craft breweries are charged the levy.

“They just didn’t bother to come clean and tell anyone before they slugged them and now, they’re trying to blame shift instead of fix the problem.

“Craft brewers in urban areas will see their State Government emergency management levy rise from $527.80 a year to $5224.20 this year.*

“However, brewers in all areas will see a massive increase in their previous emergency management levy.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk has slugged Queenslanders with ten new or high taxes and our we have the worst unemployment rate in Mainland Australia and her beer tax will cost local jobs.

“Only the LNP will support businesses owners, create new jobs, reduce power bills and make Queensland the economic powerhouse it once was.

Background explanation and references:

The emergency management levy is broken into different Groups A-E (classifying the type and size of business) and Classes (different geographical areas, determined by proximity to fire station and a services).

See map in link below to determine which geographic class businesses fall into, determined by proximity to fire stations and services:

https://publicsafetyqld.maps.arcgis.com/apps/PanelsLegend/index.html?appid=c50813e4c4f9421d99ebfedf3c447123

The new regulation shifts microbreweries into a new Levy Group, thus the hike in charges.

Links to the new regulations:

* * 2019 - Fee change (annual update) - https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/sl-2019-0110
* 2019 - Levy Group change from Category 3 to Category 7 for micro-breweries (NEW) https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/sl-2019-0130
* 2018 - previous regulation - which shows previous charges - https://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/view/html/asmade/sl-2018-0079