Australian producers whine over tax rebates for KiwisCorrina Wright, owner of Taranga Vineyards, South Australia: the rebate for New Zealanders is "absurd". Australian winemakers are fuming that their New Zealand counterparts receive $18 million in tax rebates funded by Australian taxpayers. This has significantly impacted on margins and the brand positioning of Australian wine over the last 15 years. Joel Fitzgibbon, the opposition spokesman on agriculture, said it was never the intention of the original structure of the WET rebate to help New Zealand wine producers. The Australian Financial Review has reported that winemakers were expecting that following an overhaul of the Wine Equalisation Tax (WET), the rebates would end for New Zealand producers, who have up until now been claiming $25m a year.

Source: Stuff June 22, 2016 01:32 UTC