Uploaded August 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Has the steady increase of the tobacco excise done the opposite of what was intended?
Smokers are now buying cheaper black-market cigarettes, criminal gangs are fighting for control over the trade and revenue from the government's excise - designed to deter consumers - is now collapsing.
Rohan Pike is a former AFP and ABF Officer, and creator of the Tobacco Strike Team. He told David Speers cutting the tobacco excise would stamp out the illegal trade.
0:40 Introduction
2:08 Welcome Rohan Pike
2:15 What happened in Canada?
6:47 "Only thing that allowed them to fight on an even keel was that cut in excise."
12:24 Would more checks at the ports help?
16:00 What should the tobacco excise be?
18:00 What about the health risk in this debate?
22:45 National enforcement
25:00 Goodbye
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Has the steady increase of the tobacco excise done the opposite of what was intended?
Smokers are now buying cheaper black-market cigarettes, criminal gangs are fighting for control over the trade and revenue from the government's excise - designed to deter consumers - is now collapsing.
Rohan Pike is a former AFP and ABF Officer, and creator of the Tobacco Strike Team. He told David Speers cutting the tobacco excise would stamp out the illegal trade.
0:40 Introduction
2:08 Welcome Rohan Pike
2:15 What happened in Canada?
6:47 "Only thing that allowed them to fight on an even keel was that cut in excise."
12:24 Would more checks at the ports help?
16:00 What should the tobacco excise be?
18:00 What about the health risk in this debate?
22:45 National enforcement
25:00 Goodbye
Subscribe: ab.co/3yqPOZ5
Welcome to ABC News In-depth, where you'll find our long-form journalism and other videos to help you understand what's going on in the world around you.
Watch more ABC News content ad-free on ABC iview: ab.co/2OB7Mk1
For more from ABC News, click here: ab.co/2kxYCZY
Get breaking news and livestreams from our ABC News channel: youtube.com/user/NewsOnABC
Like ABC News on Facebook: facebook.com/abcnews.au
Follow ABC News on Instagram: instagram.com/abcnews_au
Follow ABC News on Twitter: twitter.com/abcnews
Note: In most cases, our captions are auto-generated.
#ABCNewsIndepth #ABCNewsAustralia
