A trade association representing Australia’s distillers has welcomed the government’s move to provide tax relief across the country’s beer, spirits and wine production industries.
Currently, brewers and distillers in Australia receive a refund of any excise paid up to AUD350,000 (US$222,835) per year. The government has confirmed this month it will increase the excise remission cap to AUD400,000 for all eligible alcohol manufacturers, as well as increase the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET) producer rebate, also to AUD400,000.
Australian Distillers Association chief executive Paul McLeay said the benefits “will flow to 700 craft distillers throughout the country, half of which are in regional and rural Australia”.
He added: “Eighty-eight per cent of Australian distillers are small businesses and today’s announcement means they can continue investing in enhancing production, supporting regional employment and providing unique destinations for tourists.”
The proposal, which will apply from 1 July 2026, is also set to benefit around 1,500 brewers and 3,000 wine producers.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said: “This common sense measure will back thriving local industries and open the way for growth.”
Late last week, Australian Vintage booked a mid-single-digit decline in sales from its latest half year ahead of the launch of a new brand, Poco Vino. The company, which saw its sales in the full year of fiscal 2024 (to the end of June) inch up by 1%, said late last week that its performance in the first six months of the current financial year came in down by almost 7.5%.
