Sydney’s streets have been described as being in a “state of chaos” as gang violence rages, with Premier Chris Minns partly blaming skyrocketing tobacco taxes imposed by the federal government.
Mr Minns said he was “horrified” to see the recent wave of targeted attacks linked to Sydney’s underworld.
The Premier said that based on police information, he believed illicit tobacco was a key factor in the rise in crime, with criminal groups fighting to take control of the market.
An estimated 80 per cent of tobacco and nicotine products consumed in Australia are illegal, according to recent data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics.
“I do think it’s involved, because when you’ve got a black market, illicit players in that marketplace will take advantage of it,” Mr Minns said.
Illegal cigarettes and vapes have become a major headache for authorities, costing the federal budget a staggering projected $8bn over five years to 2029-30.
A packet of legal cigarettes costs between $45 and $50, while readily available and untaxed black market options sell for about $15.
Mr Minns urged the federal government to adopt a “common sense” approach to the tobacco excise.
“Cigarettes are cheaper today (on the black market) than they’ve been for a few decades, which is the exact opposite of the intention of that tax,” he said.
Mr Albanese yesterday said: “We are taking the strongest action that has ever been taken against the illicit tobacco trade … and we will continue to do so.”
Leading criminologist Vincent Hurley said Sydney was in a “state of chaos” as organised crime gangs battled for authority, with illegal tobacco a key market they were fighting over.
Dr Hurley said governments had “backed themselves into a corner, unintentionally … over the decades to increase the excise, and now they’re stuck”.
Extracted in full from: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/truecrimeaustralia/police-courts-nsw/premier-chris-minns-urges-pm-to-cut-tobacco-tax-amid-sydney-crime-wave/news-story/ae10d358bf098a685e2a8c1bb463ed5b
