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13.12 Public opinion about tobacco tax increases

Last updated: March 2024

Suggested citation: Bayly, M and Scollo, MM. 13.12 Public opinion among Australians about tobacco tax increases. In Greenhalgh, EM, Scollo, MM and Winstanley, MH [editors]. Tobacco in Australia: Facts and issues. Melbourne: Cancer Council Victoria; 2024. https://www.tobaccoinaustralia.org.au/chapter-13-taxation/tia_13-12-public-opinion-tobacco-tax-increases

Australians have been generally supportive of the idea of taxing tobacco products. Focus group research among Australian smokers in 2006 found cynicism about tax increases when revenue is not used for programs to discourage smoking.¹ Without such investment in programs, smokers who participated in the study felt that governments did not have the moral authority to further raise taxes. Data presented in this section on findings of early state-based and later national surveys generally show higher levels of support for tobacco taxes when the revenue raised was to be used to fund smoking prevention or cessation services.

13.12.1 Early state-based public opinion surveys

A 1985 study examined public attitudes towards a variety of government taxes and expenditures including income taxes, taxes on motor vehicles, sales taxes, company tax, import duty and customs and taxes on alcohol.² The only tax for which a majority (51.8%) supported an increase was tax on tobacco products.

Several statewide polls assessing public opinion about tobacco tax increases have been undertaken in successive decades. Findings of some of the early surveys are summarised in Table 13.12.1. In general, the surveys have shown broad and growing support for increased tobacco taxes, especially if revenue from the tax increases is used for health education among children.

Table 13.12.1 Proportion of adults approving tax increases in early surveys of public opinion in six Australian states and nationally, selected years 1987 to 1998

Date	Jurisdiction	Approve unconditional increase in tax	Approve tax increase if funds used to discourage children from smoking
June 1987	Victoria	47%	84%
December 1987	South Australia	55%	82%
July 1988	New South Wales	56%	88%
August 1989	Tasmania	59%	89%
July 1990	Queensland	66%	92%
May 1993	Western Australia	60%	88%*
February 1998	Australia	-	96%

* In Western Australia the question concerned funding directed to health services.

Source: Vernon-Roberts B. Morgan Gallup poll on smoking issues in South Australia [Media release]. Adelaide: 1988 [viewed January 1988].

Steel K. 2.8 million electors approve of changes in law [Media release]. Sydney: 1988 [viewed August 1988].

Gazette no. s317 2004. 4 August

ASH Australia. Results of Morgan research on support for tax increases, Unpublished data. Hobart: Tasmanian Cancer Committee. 1989.

Brien G. Queenslanders demand action on cigarettes [Media release]. Brisbane, Australia: 1990 [viewed July 1990].

Woollard K and Walker N. Western Australian's support for tobacco control, Unpublished data. Perth: Australian Medical Association and Australian Council on Smoking and Health. Media release, 27 May 1993.

Borland R and Boulter J. Public Opinion about use of Tobacco Taxes for Tobacco Control and other issues. Melbourne, Australia: Centre for Behavioural Research in Cancer, Anti-Cancer Council of Victoria, 1998.

13.12.2 National surveys of public opinion

The National Drug Strategy Household Survey has collected data on public opinion on tax increases in its three-yearlyⁱsurveys since 1998. Figure 13.12.1 shows levels of public support over time for three measures regarding increases to tobacco taxes: to pay for health education, to contribute to treatment costs, and to discourage smoking. Levels of public support have remained at 60% or above for all three measures since 1998, with ‘contribute to treatment costs’ always receiving the highest level of support. Support for all measures increased steadily to around 2013, then declined slightly over 2016 and 2019—during a period of successive annual 12.5% excise increases—then stabilised in 2022–23.

Figure 13.12.1 Proportion of Australians aged 14+ years who supported measures to increase tobacco taxes, 1998 to 2022–23

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. 2001 National Drug Strategy Household Survey: detailed findings. Drug statistics series no. 11, AIHW cat. no. PHE 41. Canberra: AIHW, 2002. Available from: http://www.aihw.gov.au/publications/index.cfm/title/8227.

Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Data tables: National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023 – 2. Tobacco smoking (Table 2.46). Canberra: AIHW, 2024. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data.

Levels of support for increasing tobacco taxes varies somewhat by demographic group, however the pattern of highest support for tax increases to contribute to healthcare costs and lowest support for tax increases to discourage smoking is evident in all groups examined. Figure 13.12.2 shows support was approximately 3 percentage points higher among females compared to males in 2022–23 for all three tax increase measures. Figure 13.12.3 shows slightly higher levels of support among those aged 40 to 69 years compared to those aged under 40 years, but highest support among those aged 70 years or older.

Figure 13.12.2 Proportion of Australians aged 14+ years who supported measures to increase tobacco taxes, by gender, 2022–23

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Data tables: National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023 – 2. Tobacco smoking. Canberra: AIHW, 2024 (Table 2.46). Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

Figure 13.12.2 Proportion of Australians aged 14+ years who supported measures to increase tobacco taxes, by age group, 2022–23

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Data tables: National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023 – 2. Tobacco smoking (Table 2.47). Canberra: AIHW, 2024. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

More substantial differences in levels of support are evident by smoking status. Figure 13.12.4 shows that in 2022–23 more than 70% of people aged 14+ years who had never smoked supported the tax increase measures, approximately 10 percentage points higher for each measure than people who had previously smoked. Among people who currently smoked at least occasionally, around 20% supported the tax increase measures.

Figure 13.12.2 Proportion of Australians aged 14+ years who supported measures to increase tobacco taxes, by smoking status, 2022–23

Never smoked: never smoked at least 100 cigarettes or equivalent amount of tobacco.

Smoked previously: smoked at least 100 cigarettes or equivalent amount of tobacco, but no longer smoking.

Currently smoke: People who report smoking daily, weekly, or less than weekly.

Source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare. Data tables: National Drug Strategy Household Survey 2022–2023 – 2. Tobacco smoking (Table 2.48). Canberra: AIHW, 2024. Available from: https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/illicit-use-of-drugs/national-drug-strategy-household-survey/data

[i] For the most recent survey, data was collected over 2022 and to mid 2023.

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References

1. Carter SM and Chapman S. Smokers and non-smokers talk about regulatory options in tobacco control. Tobacco Control, 2006; 15(5):398-404. Available from: http://tc.bmjjournals.com/cgi/content/abstract/15/5/398

2. Heady B, Holmstrom E, and Wearing A. Government taxes and expenditures: what does the public want? , Melbourne, Australia: University of Melbourne, 1985.