Chaucer's Choice

The cost-of-living crunch is about to extend to pubs, bars and bottle shops. From Monday, a schooner of beer will set you back an extra 90 cents when the federal government taxes on alcohol are hiked again. The alcohol excise is automatically increased twice a year, based on inflation, with the tax expected to make $7.8 billion this financial year. Australia now has the third-highest beer tax in the world. Finland has the highest, and Norway the second.