Dental News - Greens call for 20 per cent tax on sugary drinks

Dental Tribune International

Mon. 27. June 2016

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MELBOURNE, Australia: Aiming to tackle the increasing prevalence of obesity and diabetes, as well as dental decay in children, the Australian Greens have called for a levy of 20 per cent on drinks that contain more than 5 g of sugar per 100 ml. Party leader Dr Richard Di Natale remarked that, if enacted, the policy could reduce children’s average consumption of added sugar through soft drinks—which now makes up about one-third of their daily intake—by 12 per cent.

The tax proposal is part of the Greens’ broader prevention strategy for obesity, including measures such as clear food labelling, restricting junk food advertising to children and encouraging physical activity through active transport. “The sweetest part of this policy will be the longer term benefits to Australians by reducing chronic disease and achieving better health outcomes,” Di Natale said during an obesity summit at the University of Sydney on 22 June.

As reported by the Sydney Morning Herald, the Greens’ favoured model for the levy goes even further than adding 20 cents to the price of sugary drinks, by enforcing a flat 20 per cent excise to be paid by producers or importers based on the retail price of the product.

In addition to calling for a sugar tax, the Greens have already said they would retain the Child Dental Benefits Schedule, which the government has threatened to axe, as part of the party’s Denticare plan. In campaigning for the Australian federal election on 2 July, the party has further announced that it would invest A$6.6 billion over the forward estimates to provide A$1,000 for essential dental care every two years to more Australians.

With Denticare, the Greens would promote the objectives of the Australian Dental Health Plan that was submitted to the government by the Australian Dental Association (ADA) in February. “The Greens dental policy mirrors the foundations of the ADA’s Australian Dental Health Plan in that it provides access to the most commonly needed treatments, offers annual monetary limits, and allows for gradual introduction to targeted and high risk groups within the population as identified in the National Oral Health Plan 2015–2024—children, aged pensioners and senior card holders,” ADA President Dr Rick Olive stated.

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