A new survey of 2,800 Australians has found more than half support the idea of a tax on sugary drinks.
Health Minister Mark Butler confirmed to media on Friday that there is “no plan” for a sugar tax.
A Parliamentary Committee recommended a sugary drink tax in 2024.
Survey
A survey conducted by a group of researchers in Adelaide of more than 2,800 adults revealed an increase in support for a sugar tax.
The results, published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, showed 83% of respondents were “in favour of better labelling of sugary drinks” to inform consumers of added sugars, while 73% supported “stopping sugary drinks from being marketed to children.”
More than half of participants supported a tax on the drinks.
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Lead author Professor Caroline Miller said the study should “encourage the Federal Government to take proactive steps that put the health of Australians above the profits of commercial beverage companies.”
According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, in 2022, 66% of adults were overweight or obese.
Committee
Last year, a Parliamentary Committee made 23 recommendations aimed at reducing national diabetes and obesity rates, including a tax on sugary beverages.
The committee also called for new food labelling standards for better clarity and detail.
In an interview with Sunrise on Friday, Health Minister Mark Butler said there is “no plan in our government for a sugar tax,” adding that the focus is on education and reducing sugar in manufactured products.
