One of the great joys in any wine drinker’s life is to peruse the annual wine release notes from Dr. John Middleton, proprietor of the legendary Yarra Valley label of Mount Mary. Never one to call a spade a shovel, the good doctor directs his considerable powers of observation towards the Federal Government’s Wine Equalisation Tax, an impost on which the GST of 10% would then be superimposed. Dr. Middleton suggests that this could increase the present sales tax on wine from 41% to around 44%. The industry is happy to maintain the status quo. It requires a supreme act of imbecility to think that the wine industry can continue to be treated as a limitless source of general revenue for government without receiving anything back in return. The wine industry is one of the few ongoing sources of skilled and qualified employment opportunity in rural Australia. Interestingly, the samples given away to the public at the recent Wine Australia cost the industry around $100,000 in sales tax. How long will it be before sheer political ignorance kills off this potentially great industry on whose success now depends so much rural fabric?
