A boy is scheduled to appear in court today amid a flurry of political and economic commentary. Meanwhile, Shadow Treasurer Tim Wilson is pushing a tobacco reform that could generate an extra $2 billion annually by curbing black‑market sales, arguing that a combination of enforcement and reduced excise taxes would meet public demand. The proposal reflects a broader debate over how to dismantle illegal tobacco trade while balancing tax policy, with the government and the One Nation party offering contrasting priorities. Readers can follow the day’s live coverage for updates on both the courtroom drama and the evolving tobacco strategy.
Boy to face court today. Follow the day’s news live.Get our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastShadow treasurer says tobacco plans would bring in extra billions and stop people buying from the ‘black market’Tim Wilson, the shadow treasurer, said the tobacco proposal would bring in an extra $2bn a year as it would stop people “buying products from the black market”.We’ve been looking at this policy for a long time, but what we’ve been looking at is how do you break it down for the different parts of the market so that we can actually break the illegal tobacco trade? …We’ve got a government, we’ve got a One Nation position which is focused solely on tax cuts. What we’re looking at is how do we stop the black market, both with enforcement and with reduction in the excise, so that we actually get the outcome Australians want. Continue reading...
