The Shout’s National Liquor News featured MGA’s Liquor – The Next Illicit Market forum, which brought together industry authorities, retailers and police at an urgent meeting held in Melbourne to address the growing threat of the illicit alcohol black market.
Master Grocers Australia CEO, Martin Stirling, called on all levels of government to establish a dedicated taskforce to shut down the illicit alcohol market before it escalates into another crisis like the tobacco wars.
The Australian Tax Office has estimated illicit alcohol sales to be worth at least $767 million annually, with research finding illicit alcohol already available in approximately 30 per cent of bottle shops in Victoria.
Martin warned that inaction now could prove devastating for communities across Australia.
“The illicit tobacco wars are still going because governments failed to act swiftly. The warning signs are already there, and the lessons from tobacco show the cost of ignoring them,” Martin said.
“Lives are at risk, both in our member stores and across every Australian community. We need all levels of government to establish a dedicated taskforce that will shut down this alarming, illicit booze black market — before it ends up like the out of control, deadly tobacco wars that have devastated Australian communities.”
