One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce has dismissed suggestions that the same argument for making legal cigarettes cheaper could be used to justify legalising cocaine and marijuana.
Joyce was challenged over the comparison as Australia’s tobacco wars escalate, with both One Nation and the Coalition unveiling controversial proposals to slash the tobacco excise in a bid to undercut the illegal cigarette trade.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor last week pushed for the excise to be slashed by 80 per cent, just days after One Nation proposed a 75 per cent cut.
NSW Premier Chris Minns has also repeatedly called on his federal Labor colleagues to reduce or review the excise.
A major cut could see the cost of a pack of cigarettes drop by $30 to prices not seen since 2013.
During an interview with Joyce, ABC Afternoon Briefing host Patricia Karvelas pointed out that countries including Vietnam, Thailand and the Philippines still have illegal cigarette markets despite having much lower tobacco taxes.
Joyce responded: ‘Now, we have had no luck in trying to stop marijuana either. We’ve had no luck with cocaine. There are a lot of things we’re really struggling with.
‘With cigarettes, we are still never going to solve the problem. But you’re certainly going to alleviate it. Bring the price of legal cigarettes down to where they should be – illegal ones are around $15.’
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