‘The math simply does not add up’: WA wine producers call for CDS delay

A coalition of Western Australian wine producers has joined forces to advocate against the state government’s upcoming container deposit scheme extension.

The Friends of WA Wine group says that the fast-tracked CDS, now due to be implemented on 1 July, will put the state's 350+ producers at a serious disadvantage to those in other states where it is not scheduled to be introduced until 2027.

The group also notes that, due to the complex layering of the WET and GST taxes coupled with the added administrative, logistics and labelling costs, the extension will increase the actual cost of every bottle of wine purchased in Western Australia by between $1.15 and $1.25. Meanwhile, consumers are only eligible to a 10c refund per bottle returned.