Posts by theo@aacs.org.au

The Labor Minister for tobacco regulation has hit out at the federal government, claiming that the tobacco wars are a result of their huge smoke excise, and that new taxes won’t stop the issue. A Victorian Labor MP says the federal government is responsible for the disastrous tobacco war, which will only continue because of sky-high taxes. And in an embarrassing U-turn, state MP Enver Erdogan admitted the licence fee to sell tobacco products would be less than first planned after “robust feedback” from retailers. At least 130 firebombing attacks in the past two years have been linked to underworld figures muscling in on the illicit tobacco trade. Victoria’s long-awaited ­tobacco licensing scheme is ­intended to be up and running towards the end of the year. It will bring the state into line with the rest of the country. Until now, no licence has been required to sell tobacco in Victoria. But…

Viva Energy has taken a significant step forward in Australia’s push for a circular economy, successfully processing more than 9.5 tonnes of plastic pyrolysis oil (PPO) at its Geelong Refinery. The trial marks the largest volume of PPO ever processed at the site and is a key milestone in the company’s ambition to convert discarded soft plastics into new food-grade recycled plastics. The trial forms part of Viva Energy’s joint project with Cleanaway, Australia’s largest waste management company, to develop a soft plastics recycling facility. While small volumes of PPO have previously been tested, this large-scale run enabled comprehensive assessment of the refinery’s infrastructure capability and the downstream impact on product quality. The PPO used in the trial was produced by Alterra in Akron, Ohio, using end-of-life plastic. Alterra’s advanced thermochemical liquefaction process breaks down post-consumer plastics into feedstock suitable for new plastics production. The imported material was approved by…

Qantas, Sydney Airport and Ampol, supported by Qantas’ SAF Coalition partners, have today marked the largest ever commercial importation of Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) into Australia, with nearly two million litres of unblended SAF arriving this week. Sustainable Aviation Fuel has the greatest near-term potential to help decarbonise the aviation industry. The fuel was imported by Ampol from Malaysia to its Kurnell facility on Wednesday 7 May and is currently being blended with conventional aviation fuel before testing and certification so that it can be distributed into the Sydney airport supply chain. It will then be used on flights departing from Sydney Airport over the coming weeks. Once blended at a ratio of approximately 18%[i], the fuel could power the equivalent of 900 flights from Sydney to Auckland on Qantas and Jetstar’s 737 aircraft, reducing the resulting carbon emissions from those flights by a total estimated 3,400 tonnes[ii]. This is…

Advertisements for ham and salad sandwiches will soon be banned from buses and trains in South Australia. Here’s why. Advertisements for ham salad sandwiches will soon be banned from public transportation in South Australia in a fresh push to roll back childhood and adult obesity. The ban, set to come into effect from July 1, prohibits a range of junk food items from being displayed on Adelaide’s buses, trains and trams, including processed meats like ham. Chocolate, lollies, confectionary, desserts, ice creams, soft drinks and chips will all be banned from display alongside processed meats, with the measure designed to limit children’s exposure to unhealthy food and drink advertising. But the Australian Association of National Advertisers is up in arms about what it calls a “blanket ban”. “As it stands, this policy bans all processed meats, which means a simple ham salad sandwich can’t be advertised.” AANA CEO Josh Faulks…

Queensland has seized the nation’s largest ever haul of illegal cigarettes and vapes by a health authority, under Queensland Health-led Operation Appaloosa. More than 30 locations were raided, with 76,000 vapes, 19 million cigarettes and 3.6 tonnes of loose tobacco seized. The raids come as more than $5 million in fines were issued in the first week of the Government’s nation-leading fines – over $1 million more than in the final four months of Labor.  Queensland has stepped up the war against illicit tobacco and dangerous vapes, with the nation’s largest ever haul of illegal products by a health authority, in an effort to keep them out of the hands of kids. More than 76,000 vapes, 19 million illicit cigarettes and 3.6 tonnes of loose illicit tobacco – with a combined estimated street value of $20.8 million – were seized during the record-breaking Operation Appaloosa in March. Queensland Health raided…

From payday super, to cash mandates, new payment system designations and a possible ban on debit card surcharging, the new-look Albanese government has a big payments reform agenda that could kick off almost immediately parliament resumes. By Warwick Ponder, Managing Editor Proposed reforms to the Payment Systems (Regulation) Act 1998 are likely to hit parliament quickly, providing the Treasurer the power to designate payments systems for regulation – possibly including fintechs and big platforms like the New Payments Platform (NPP), Apple, PayPal, AMEX and Google, Square and Stripe. These powers may also enable the Reserve Bank of Australia (RBA) and the ACCC to take action on issues such as blended debit and credit card fees, which they claim are currently beyond their powers. In October 2023, Treasurer Jim Chalmers announced the Bill “is addressing the risks posed by new digital payment services, which are currently unregulated, to protect consumers, promote competition and spur…