Support New Zealand's craft beer brewers - Sign the Petition

[nzbrewer]

Sign the Petition -

The NZ government is considering raising taxes for all beer brewers to offset the social costs of irresponsible drinking. This could put some small craft breweries out of business. This poll argues that a 'one size fits all' increase in taxation will have a disastrous effect on New Zealand's boutique breweries - and that these brewers are the ones we should be rewarding not penalising.

Why? Because small boutique and craft breweries emphasise taste, flavour and create environments that encourage sensible and responsible drinking, whereas the Big Two brewers (DB and Lion Nathan - both foreign-owned) discount their beers to gain market share. They tend to target their advertising towards young people and encourage buying decisions made on the basis of price - bang per buck - not beer quality.

For the reasons above, we will lobby MPs and other supporters of great New Zealand craft beers to give tax breaks to small Kiwi-owned brewers. Sign our poll if you want New Zealand's craft brewers to survive!

Thank Mic Dover for starting the petition

Sign the Petition -

[denimglen]

Choice as, signed.

[nzbrewer]

make sure you leave some comments as well as signing the petition, it makes your voice even stronger

[Daniel Parker]

Firstly.. While I haven't yet signed the petition, I intend to.

How do people think this should be managed?

What is the definition of 'Craft Beer'.. and at what point does it cross over into 'Non Craft' and therefore get hit with larger taxes, which is essentially what is being proposed with this petition (i.e Tax the big guys and leave the little ones alone)

How would Craft Imports be handled?

Is the definition of imported craft beer different to NZ Craft Beer? (Sam Adams is still considered Craft in USA... Just)

As you can see from the above, I don't know the logistics of how all of this would work.. Hence the 'One size fits all' proposal.

Daniel

[HerrSchnapps]

Signed, but problem is, like above, how do you define it without screwing up peoples incentives. Say, if the first 50,000 litres each year were cheaper, the marginal cost might just put Emersons off producing that 50,001th litre. Or DB & Lion will create a ton of "microbrewery" shells which then "contract out" to DB & Lion to produce 50,000 litres etc. They'll find a way. And then the purpose of the tax has just been lost. So they close that loophole. Then another. Taxes always fuck things up, and in totally unforseen ways, especially when you have differing rates. Just look at Aussie at the moment with what defines a "beer" and an "RTD" issue.

Anyway, I'd just like to know what people are proposing.

[Stu McKinlay]

There are many options, and a lot of arguments around each one. What is clear is that an exemption/rebate/tiered tax scheme must apply across ALL breweries. We cannot define 'craft' and the law certainly can't.

If the first 5,000L of alcohol is free (100,000L of beer at 5%) or up for a rebate, then it doesn't matter if you produce 10,000L... you will only be paying for 5,000L. I don't mind if big breweries set up smaller breweries to get around this - it would result in more employment, greater chance, more of a connection between community and brewer and greater chance for diversity or innovation. however, the wouldn't do this as there economies of scale are worth more to them than a (what is for them) a very very small tax break.

I have proprosed to the brewer's guild in the past that they need to actually pay someone to write up some analysis... unless someone is willing to put their hand up and do it for free.

[nzbrewer]

that looks like the problem in the UK 500,000 litres excise relief and then one more litre you all the relief

[Greig McGill]

Taxes always fuck things up

I like you HerrSchnapps. :)

[Glynn Foster]

Perhaps it needs to be taxed based on the number of employees working for a particular brewery? (though more automated equipment in a larger brewery means less employees?)

[nzbrewer]

We need a "Stupid Tax" and we need a "Sugar Tax" (it seems that RTD's and budget beer both seem to have cane sugar added, keeps cost down)

[HerrSchnapps]

But then what about Belgiums?

[Greig McGill]

You're also assuming it's reasonable to blame (tax) the producer for the acts of the consumer in the first place. The whole "social cost" issue annoys me greatly. It wouldn't BE a social cost if the individuals responsible for being dicks had to pay.

[Stu McKinlay]

And who, may I ask, is going fund the cost of finding and prosecuting those "baddies"? Those $$$$ would be greater than the current $$$ paid for by excise tax.