Dear "Sir" Geoffrey
*UPDATE* Please be aware that I do not write this as the secretary of SOBA. The views expressed in this post are my own, and do not represent the views of the Society of Beer Advocates (SOBA) Inc.
The NZ Herald just can't help themselves. And as for "Sir" Geoffrey Palmer. You "sir", are a pillock of the highest order.
Let me spell it out for you Geoff, since you can't seem to figure it out yourself.
In this country you have the big two. We know who they are. Even morons waving around hand-wringing think-of-the-children legislation like yourself know who they are. These big two don't care about alcohol. They don't care about excise tax. They make product, not beer. They have a captive and uneducated market (I mean that literally - they don't know any better, not that they are stupid) who will continue to drink their product no matter what. This is great for them. It's great for you, Geoff. It's murder for the small brewers in this country, and it's murder for what you, in your stupid and misguided way, claim to be trying to achieve.
See, these little brewers are producing great beers. They celebrate the flavour and diversity of beer. They educate their market about beer, and in general, people who drink this beer pay a premium and don't drink to get drunk. They're precisely what you want, if you claim to want to change the drinking culture and reduce the "social cost" of drinking. And you're killing them with your one-size-fits-all excise tax. Nice going there.
These guys should be rewarded. But what do you do? Cudgel them down with more tax. Well, when they go out of business, Geoff, it will be your fault. You best not be whinging when you're left with just the big two, who are interested in maintaining the "just get it down ya" kiwi drinking stereotype above all else.
Good going Geoff. Did you find that Knighthood in a box of cornflakes? It sure as hell wasn't awarded for brainpower.
The NZ Herald just can't help themselves. And as for "Sir" Geoffrey Palmer. You "sir", are a pillock of the highest order.
Let me spell it out for you Geoff, since you can't seem to figure it out yourself.
In this country you have the big two. We know who they are. Even morons waving around hand-wringing think-of-the-children legislation like yourself know who they are. These big two don't care about alcohol. They don't care about excise tax. They make product, not beer. They have a captive and uneducated market (I mean that literally - they don't know any better, not that they are stupid) who will continue to drink their product no matter what. This is great for them. It's great for you, Geoff. It's murder for the small brewers in this country, and it's murder for what you, in your stupid and misguided way, claim to be trying to achieve.
See, these little brewers are producing great beers. They celebrate the flavour and diversity of beer. They educate their market about beer, and in general, people who drink this beer pay a premium and don't drink to get drunk. They're precisely what you want, if you claim to want to change the drinking culture and reduce the "social cost" of drinking. And you're killing them with your one-size-fits-all excise tax. Nice going there.
These guys should be rewarded. But what do you do? Cudgel them down with more tax. Well, when they go out of business, Geoff, it will be your fault. You best not be whinging when you're left with just the big two, who are interested in maintaining the "just get it down ya" kiwi drinking stereotype above all else.
Good going Geoff. Did you find that Knighthood in a box of cornflakes? It sure as hell wasn't awarded for brainpower.
posted by Greig McGill at 7:59 am
4 Comments:
The report on which Palmer is basing his conclusions is, well, not sufficient basis for making such recommendations. See here:
http://offsettingbehaviour.blogspot.com/2009/04/costs-of-everything-value-of-nothing.html
In short, it's a pure cost analysis, not a cost-benefit analysis. And you can't honestly base policy on a pure cost analysis.
Absolutely, totally, 100% agree. Mr Stupid's back in town.
Great commentary. Extendable to the wine industry as well. Thanks.
Totally agree, what an absolute pillock Palmer is. Nailing down the small guys again...
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