Taxed out of Oz: Is there any point in living here anymore?

Grabbing a coldie at the pub is meant to help punters forget their money woes, but extortionate hikes on booze, rent, food and fuel prices have some questioning their futures in Australia.

Grabbing a cold one at the pub is meant to help punters forget their money woes, but not so for Tara Murphy and friends, who now might have to ditch the gathering for good.

The cost of buying a schooner rose again on Monday due to twice-yearly indexation of excise, forecast to rise from less than $2.6bn last financial year to $3bn by 2026-27.

Employability skills trainer Ms Murphy said she was already struggling with day to day expenses as it is, but now feels that her social life would suffer too thanks to the price rise.

“Between trying to find a house, and now the beer prices set to go up, our social life is practically non-existent,” she said.

Abby Broderick, Tara Murphy and Amy Hanley enjoy a beer at P.J.O'Briens, King Street, Sydney. Picture: Justin Lloyd.

“The government is making the cost of everything unbearable and it’s becoming harder to live day to day.”

Ms Murphy, 26, said the rising cost of day-to-day activities could force locals to look elsewhere for a better life.

“It’s becoming less advantageous to live in Australia, people come here for a better life but for the price you can practically live anywhere else,” she said.

“If you can’t go to the pub and enjoy a beer for a decent price, you won’t be able to do anything soon.”

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Originally published as Taxed out of Oz: Is there any point in living here anymore?