The Government is debating moving into urgency in order to raise the price of a packet of cigarettes by more than $1 -
from tonight.
The measure will take effect from midnight tonight and increase the price of a packet of 20 cigarettes from $7.20 to
close to over $8 and possibly up to $8.50.
Announcing the measure the government says it expects the measure to increase the cost of cigarettes by 14% and to
reduce the amount of smoking by 7%.
The new tax will raise $20 million over the rest of the financial year to June 30th and $110 million next financial
year.