Dalziel Backs Nelson Pub’s Beer Tax Campaign

Lianne Dalziel Backs Nelson Pub’s Beer Tax Campaign

Labour MP Lianne Dalziel has backed Nelson pub The Free House’s campaign to get tax breaks for craft brewers.

Ms Dalziel was speaking at a public meeting in Nelson yesterday (Wednesday) organised by Nelson-based Labour list MP Maryan Street to discuss possible changes to liquor laws in light of the Sale and Supply of Liquor Enforcement bill, which is before a parliamentary select committee.

Ms Dalziel backed Nelson publican Mic Dover, who has started a petition asking the Government to give tax breaks to boutique breweries in response to Sir Geoffrey Palmer's comments that increasing the excise tax on all alcoholic products could be one answer to the social cost of binge drinking.

"On tax increases, I totally agree with (Mr Dover),”says Ms Dalziel, ”who raised a very good point . They (craft beers) are not the problem as far as beer sales are concerned, therefore across-the-board tax increases would unfairly impact on them as compared to the major suppliers of beer, which are actually supermarkets, not micro-brewery operations or indeed some of the bottle stores we have around New Zealand."

The online petition was launched this week by Nelson's The Free House pub and has already gathered over 500 signatures from all over New Zealand as well as craft beer fans as far afield as Australia, the US, Germany and Sweden.

The Free House is New Zealand's first real free house - a pub untied to any brewery and dedicated to serving craft beers in a socially-responsible environment. The Free House is worried that proposed tax rises for beer will disproportionately penalise craft brewers - taking a hit because of the binge drinkers who would never go near premium beer.

The Free House is promising to lobby MPs and other supporters of great New Zealand craft beers to give tax breaks to small Kiwi-owned brewers. The petition is at www.gopetition.com/petitions/craft-beer-brewers.html or click on the link at www.thefreehouse.co.nz

Background Info For Editors:

The Free House petition says:

"Sign our petition if you want New Zealand's craft brewers to survive!

We, the undersigned, call on the New Zealand government not to endanger the survival of the country's fledgling craft beer industry with a 'one size fits all' tax hike. On the contrary we urge the government to follow the UK, the US and Australia in considering tax breaks for small, independent craft breweries."

ENDS

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