AGRICULTURE Minister David Littleproud has weighed into talk about taxing red meat, saying the academics behind the call in the United Kingdom aren’t living in the real world.
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Fairfax Media’s coverage of UK university scientists’ claims that imposing price hikes on the likes of beef, lamb and pork would save as much as 700 million pounds to the country’s healthcare system hit a nerve in Australia.
Producer leaders and health professionals said there was no scientific backing to support this argument and pointed out the Oxford University scientists’ references to World Health Organisation cancer-and-meat links were taken out of context.
Social media was awash with comments from all sectors of the red meat supply chain, and healthcare professionals, slamming the concept of a meat tax.
Mr Littleproud said if other countries wanted to “follow this madness and tax meat” good luck to them but it wouldn’t happen in Australia.
He went as far as to say the idea of taxing red meat by Oxford University showed just how irrelevant these institutions were becoming.
“Comparing red meat to cigarettes is ridiculous. These institutions aren’t living in the real world but instead make findings without a lead of reality,” he said.
“Red meat is essential to a healthy diet.
“Suggestions a red meat tax would result in less overweight people are garbage.”
He also said governments should not dictate diets.
“The government’s role is to give people the relevant information and let them choose for themselves,” Mr Littleproud said.
“People have to take responsibility for what they put in their mouths, not the government.
