The Australian Distillers Association welcomes the Australian Taxation Office’s action to protect the integrity of the alcohol excise remission scheme.

The Australian Distillers Association welcomes the Australian Taxation Office’s action to protect the integrity of the alcohol excise remission scheme.

The remission scheme was introduced to support genuine Australian alcohol manufacturers, particularly smaller producers, and it remains an important measure for the sustainability and competitiveness of Australia’s independent distilling sector.

We have worked hard to establish our industry as a credible, innovative and increasingly sophisticated manufacturing sector and we want to see that growth continue. That requires a regulatory and taxation framework that supports genuine manufacturers while preventing the exploitation of concessions designed to support them.

While it is our view that the measurers announced by the ATO are important for those who are genuinely operating and complying, we will continue to make the equally important point that legitimate Australian distillers need more support, not another burden. Our distillers continue to operate within one of the world’s heaviest regulatory and taxation environments for spirits, creating significant costs and complexity for businesses that are investing, employing, providing important visitor experiences and building Australian manufacturing.

Protecting the integrity of the remission scheme is important, but it needs to sit alongside broader measures that recognise the stifling burden carried by legitimate Australian producers and support the long-term growth of the sector.

The ADA will continue to work constructively with the ATO and Government to ensure the remission scheme remains fair, sustainable and fit for purpose while continuing to advocate for the broader regulatory and taxation reforms needed to allow our sector to invest and grow.