The AMA has welcomed a federal parliamentary inquiry’s recommendation to implement a tax on all sugar-sweetened beverages.
This recommendation stemmed from a parliamentary inquiry into diabetes, which recommended a range of initiatives that align with the AMA’s long-standing policies.
AMA President Professor Robson said the report’s recommendation of a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages was an important development in the conversation about type 2 diabetes and chronic disease.
A sugar tax would have a huge impact on Australia’s health system and the AMA’s modelling suggests a sugar tax could result in government revenue of $4 billion across four years, which could be used to fund further preventative health activities,” AMA President Professor Steve Robson said.
“We are 100 per cent behind this sugar tax on sugar-sweetened beverages because we know it could help reduce the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Australia, as well as reducing other chronic diseases.”
The AMA has long called for a 20 per cent tax on sugar-sweetened beverages as part of its Sickly-Sweet campaign.
The AMA also welcomed the committee’s recommendation of longer appointment times for GPs dealing with this complex disease.
Several recommendations from the inquiry are in line with the AMA’s calls for a re-directed focus on prevention of type 2 diabetes.
The inquiry also mirrored the AMA’s calls for regulating the marketing and advertising of unhealthy food, especially to children.