THE cost of some cask wine could quadruple, with Health Minister Nicola Roxon signing off on a plan to develop a nationwide minimum floor price for alcohol.
The National Preventive Health Agency has been asked to "develop the concept" as part of a plan approved by Ms Roxon but yet to be approved by her state counterparts.
The interim chief executive of the agency, Rhonda Galbally, said that while she wasn't at liberty to reveal everything in the strategic plan approved by Ms Roxon, she was prepared to confirm that it included developing the concept of a uniform alcohol floor price that would apply nationwide.
The floor price would operate separately from alcohol tax and would make it illegal for any retailer to sell alcohol below a certain price for a standard drink, allowing retailers and manufacturers to share any extra profit that accrued.
Prices of most drinks including beer would be unaffected because they were already above the likely floor price. > > > > Read More
