Parliamentary inquiry into illicit tobacco sales

Michael is joined by Craig Kelly MP, Liberal Member for Hughes & Committee Chair of the inquiry into illicit tobacco, who says it’s clear that while the cigarette excise increases were helping to drive down smoking rates, they had also encouraged criminals into the sector.

“The history of smuggling for hundreds of years is, if you put a tax on something, then you encourage people to smuggle,” he said.

“The biggest cheer whenever excise goes up comes from the organised criminals.”