CANBERRA, May 30 (Xinhua) -- Australia's Health Minister has said that the federal government has "no plan" to introduce a sugar tax despite a poll finding strong support for the proposal.
Mark Butler said on Friday that the government has a "range of measures" under consideration to reduce rising obesity rates but that it would focus on education rather than taxation.
"Obesity is really one of the big public health challenges we face today, and it's going to grow into the future," he told Seven Network television.
"We're focused more on educating shoppers with good front-of-pack labeling about the things they're thinking about buying in the supermarket. There is no plan in our government for a sugar tax."
Health NGOs have for several years repeatedly called for Australia to introduce a new tax on sugar-sweetened beverages to tackle the obesity "crisis".
In a pre-budget submission to the government in March, the Australian Medical Association (AMA) said that obesity has overtaken tobacco as the leading cause of preventable death in Australia and recommended a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages at a rate of 50 cents per 100 grams of sugar.
A survey published by the Public Health Association of Australia (PHAA) on Wednesday found that 56 percent of Australians support a tax on beverages high in added sugar.
The same survey found that 83 percent of Australians support clear advisory labels disclosing added sugar content and 73 percent support banning marketing sugary drinks to children.
AMA President Danielle McMullen said in March that Australia's "obesity crisis" will cost the country's health system 38 billion Australian dollars (24.5 billion U.S. dollars) over the next four years "if nothing is done".
A 2024 report from the government agency the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare said that, as of 2022, 66 percent of Australian adults and 26 percent of children and adolescents aged 2-17 were overweight or obese. ■
