Cricket great David Warner hammers Anthony Albanese’s beer tax freeze

Australian cricket legend David Warner has laid into Anthony Albanese after the PM promised to put a stop to soaring beer prices.

Australian cricket great David Warner has slammed Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s move to combat soaring beer prices stating it’s simply “too late”.

On Monday, as Albanese stated he was downing “his first beer of the year” he promised to pause the government’s tax hike on beers poured at pubs for the next two years.

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Australia’s inflation-indexed alcohol tax – which increases twice annually – has long been a contentious issue for breweries, pub owners and customers.

According to the ATO, beer excise rates have increased consistently in recent years, contributing to price hikes across the industry which amount to several dollars per schooner.

This month, the beer tax increased to $43.39 per litre from $43.22, a 3.5 per cent rise on the price of beer, and that additional cost is again likely to be passed onto the consumer.

And in announcing his plan to stop the alcohol inflation tax the Prime Minister said if he is re-elected the Labor government would freeze the indexation on draught beer excise for 24 months from the next indexation date in August 2025.

“This will make a difference. It is a positive announcement, Albanese said.

“As I said, good for beer drinkers, good for pubs and clubs, good for cost of living pressures.”

The PM also further emphasised that pub culture is an essential part of Australian identity and it comes amid rising pressure on the hospitality industry which has had to deal with higher costs and declining consumer spending, largely as a result of cost of living pressures.

David Warner has slammed PM Anthony Albanese again. Image: Instagram/Getty

David Warner says beer tax relief is coming far too late

But Warner believes Albanese’s measure is just not enough and comes far too late.

Warner commented on the Instagram post about the PM’s pledge writing: “Few years too late”.

But it is no surprise the former cricketer is unhappy with Albanese.

The rising price to do business hits close to home for Warner, who is a director of Victoria’s St Andrews Beach Brewery.

Warner’s stake in the brewery created drama in 2022, when, after the Australian cricket team regained the Ashes, the players celebrated drinking St Andrews-brewed beer rather than 4 Pines, who Cricket Australia had just announced a new sponsorship with.

And his dig at the PM is the latest in several policy announcements he hasn’t taken too kindly to.

Anthony Albanese promised to pause the government’s tax hike on beers poured at pubs for the next two years. Picture: Liam Kidston

Candice and David Warner said they won’t be shutting their kids’ social media accounts. (Photo by Brendon Thorne/Getty Images for W Sydney)

Last month, the Warner’s announced that they wouldn’t be shutting down their daughters’ Instagram accounts in the wake of Albanese’s controversial social media ban.

Warner’s wife Candice, told News Corp that social media was important to their family and stated they monitor their children’s activity online closely.

“We live in a world where social media is a big thing whether we like it or not,” Candice told News Corp.

“Everything we do is fun and the girls don’t have access to it. It’s me and David running the account under my name.

“We control everything and it’s all positive.”

Originally published as Cricket great David Warner hammers Anthony Albanese’s beer tax freeze