WEDNESDAY, APRIL 16, 1986
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DUTY DIFFERENTIAL REDUCED FURTHER
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THE DUTY DIFFERENTIAL BETWEEN UNMANUFACTURED TOBACCO AND IMPORTED MANUFACTURED CIGARETTES WAS LAST YEAR REDUCED TO ITS LOWEST LEVEL SINCE IT WAS INTRODUCED IN 1949, THE FINANCIAL SECRETARY, THE HON SIR JOHN BREMRIDGE, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
SIR JOHN WAS MOVING A RESOLUTION PROVIDING FOR INCREASES IN EXISTING DUTIES ON TOBACCO AND HYDROCARBON OILS AS PUT FORWARD IN HIS BUDGET ON FEBRUARY 26, WHEN THE INCREASES TOOK EFFECT UNDER A PUBLIC REVENUE PROTECTION ORDER.
+THIS YEAR'S PROPOSAL TO INCREASE THE DUTY ON RAW TABACCO WILL REDUCE THE DIFFERENTIAL FURTHER, HE SAID. THE INCREASED DUTIES ON HYDROCARBON OILS ARE INTENDED TO MAINTAIN THE YIELD IN REAL TERM, +
THE PROPOSALS WERE EXPECTED TO PRODUCE ADDITIONAL REVENUE IN 1986-87 OF $55 MILLION FROM TOBACCO AND $50 MILLION FROM HYDROCARBON OILS, HE ADDED.
$68.5 MILLION SPENT ON TREATING DRUG ADDICTS
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THE GOVERNMENT SPENT $68.5 MILLION ON THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS IN 1985/86 AND ITS EFFORTS HAVE PROVED TO BE REASONABLY SUCCESSFUL IN THE SHORT TERM. THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE HON MICHAEL THOMAS, TOLD THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY (WEDNESDAY).
MR THOMAS SAID: REPLYING TO A QUESTION BY THE HON LEE YU-TAI +THERE ARE, ON AVERAGE, OVER 14 500 PERSONS EACH DAY RECEIVING SOME FORM OF TREATMENT, REHABILITATION AND AFTER-CARE. THIS FIGURE REPRESENTS 38 PER CENT OF KNOWN ACTIVE DRUG ADDICTS.
+BY INTERNATIONAL STANDARDS, IT IS A VERY HIGH PROPORTION, HE SAID.
+
MR THOMAS SAID THAT IN THE LONG TERM HEROIN ADDICTION WAS A CHRONIC CONDITION AND MANY OF THOSE WHO BENEFITTED FROM TREATINT AND CEASED TO TAKE DRUGS MIGHT AT SOME TIME RELAPSE AND RESORT TO THEM AGAIN.
THE MONEY ALLOCATED TO THE TREATMENT AND REHABILITATION OF DRUG ADDICTS WAS $48.2 MILLION IN 1983-84 AND $63.7 MILLION IN 1984-85.
MR THOMAS .....................
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