Comments on: Spin watch: To Roxon, wine is good, Bundie is evil http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/spin-watch-to-roxon-wine-is-good-bundie-is-evil/ now with extra source Sun, 22 Nov 2009 08:01:11 +1100 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: John T http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/spin-watch-to-roxon-wine-is-good-bundie-is-evil/#comment-14714 John T Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14714 Nicola Roxon's 7.30 Report performance on the alcopops tax was cringe-making - she just couldn't get a grip on the questions or, of course, answer them. She shamefully relied on lateral shifts and obfuscation. So sad for a minister. Does this suggest the good little boy scouts sent out to do the PM's bidding need to be intensely pressed by the PM's office to learn much better the principles and the process for proposed govt actions?<br /><br />And, have we learnt nothing about the futility and unpredictability of tiny little pieces of social engineering applied in a domain where opportunity and choice still abound?<br /><br />I understand from reliable sources that the liquor distribution industry has for quite a time had contingency plans in place to provide alternatives. Nicola Roxon’s 7.30 Report performance on the alcopops tax was cringe-making - she just couldn’t get a grip on the questions or, of course, answer them. She shamefully relied on lateral shifts and obfuscation. So sad for a minister. Does this suggest the good little boy scouts sent out to do the PM’s bidding need to be intensely pressed by the PM’s office to learn much better the principles and the process for proposed govt actions?

And, have we learnt nothing about the futility and unpredictability of tiny little pieces of social engineering applied in a domain where opportunity and choice still abound?

I understand from reliable sources that the liquor distribution industry has for quite a time had contingency plans in place to provide alternatives.

]]> By: Dave Liberts http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/spin-watch-to-roxon-wine-is-good-bundie-is-evil/#comment-14715 Dave Liberts Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14715 It doesn't always happen, but I agree with JamesK on this. The tax on alcopops was a pretty crude measure for trying to deal with the issue, and there are real doubts about whether this will actually reduce teenage binge drinking or just shift teenage boozers to cask goon or cheap spirits. Although JamesK suggests grog is grog (and if you're looking to get p-ssed, that's probably true) the reality is that some grog is brewed/distilled with far more effort (to produce refined flavours and distinctive characteristics) than other grog. Bundy is in the first category in my opinion, and it's also got a very strong relationship to its hometown of Bundaberg. For both of these reasons, Roxon's comments were not smart politics. While it is possible to binge on quality beverages as much as cheap goon, cheap goon generally only exists to get people maggotted, and criticising those who prefer to drink quality beverages ahead of cask wine drinkers is probably missing the mark as far as the larger proportion of binge drinkers go. It doesn’t always happen, but I agree with JamesK on this. The tax on alcopops was a pretty crude measure for trying to deal with the issue, and there are real doubts about whether this will actually reduce teenage binge drinking or just shift teenage boozers to cask goon or cheap spirits. Although JamesK suggests grog is grog (and if you’re looking to get p-ssed, that’s probably true) the reality is that some grog is brewed/distilled with far more effort (to produce refined flavours and distinctive characteristics) than other grog. Bundy is in the first category in my opinion, and it’s also got a very strong relationship to its hometown of Bundaberg. For both of these reasons, Roxon’s comments were not smart politics. While it is possible to binge on quality beverages as much as cheap goon, cheap goon generally only exists to get people maggotted, and criticising those who prefer to drink quality beverages ahead of cask wine drinkers is probably missing the mark as far as the larger proportion of binge drinkers go.

]]> By: JamesK http://www.crikey.com.au/2008/06/19/spin-watch-to-roxon-wine-is-good-bundie-is-evil/#comment-14716 JamesK Thu, 01 Jan 1970 10:00:00 +0000 #comment-14716 Good article. Roxon is fast boxing herself in. Perhaps slow to listen and quick to explain although that may be little unfair (Most of her interview responses are prefaced with "Well look....."). <br />I initially supported the tax increase on 'alcopops' but nothing is ever that easy and I have to acknowledge that there is little evidence to support it. The other surprising aspect which has not helped her is the extraordinary tax harvest that such a seemingly small directed change made. The attack on Neville was not smart politics. <br />Even an alcoholic may have a preference and that could be either spirits or wine but in the end, grog is grog. Good article. Roxon is fast boxing herself in. Perhaps slow to listen and quick to explain although that may be little unfair (Most of her interview responses are prefaced with “Well look…..”).
I initially supported the tax increase on ‘alcopops’ but nothing is ever that easy and I have to acknowledge that there is little evidence to support it. The other surprising aspect which has not helped her is the extraordinary tax harvest that such a seemingly small directed change made. The attack on Neville was not smart politics.
Even an alcoholic may have a preference and that could be either spirits or wine but in the end, grog is grog.

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