Liberal Democratic senator David Leyonhjelm has stood up for the rights of smokers, describing increases in tobacco excise as "flagrant theft" from "havers of good times".
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In a speech to the Senate on Wednesday, the libertarian senator, who has pledged never to vote for an increase in taxes, thanked smokers for lighting up and described their "generosity" to the nation's coffers as staggering.
"As you well know there are many such big spenders in this Parliament, as are many of the people who malign you," Senator Leyonhjelm said.
"They don't like your habit, but in my view they have an even filthier habit: spending your money – and other people's money – on things that are often even sillier than spending too much on cigarettes and booze."
In a speech that referenced Hollywood film Thank You for Smoking and South Park character Mr Mackey, Senator Leyonhjelm, who is a non-smoker, attacked increases in tobacco excise he said would see Australia become home to the most "expensive ciggies" in the world.
The Parliament has legislated annual increases in tobacco excise until 2016, with the most recent increase of 13.7 per cent kicking in last month.
"Of course, I'm aware that the justification for making you pay so much for your smoking is borne of a desire to help you quit and to improve your health," Senator Leyonhjelm said.
But he argued the equation was "lopsided" and smokers were contributing up to 17 times more to the federal budget than they were costing it each year in the form of healthcare and, "depending on rainfall", bushfire control.
"Those who would tell us how to live, back this flagrant theft, not because they're prone to agree with [Prime Minister] Tony Abbott, but because they are troubled by the worrying thought that someone, somewhere, may be having a good time," Senator Leyonhjelm said.
"Those havers of good times, smokers of Australia, are you."
He added that tobacco excise and other restrictions on cigarette smoking, such as bans in prisons and mental health hospitals, also unfairly targeted the most vulnerable Australians.
But Kylie Lindorff, chair of the Cancer Council Australia's tobacco issues committee, said the evidence on tobacco tax increases ran contrary to Senator Leyonhjelm's arguments.
"Far from being regressive, [tobacco] tax increases are particularly effective for those on lower incomes," she said.
"People on lower incomes quit at a far higher rate than those on higher incomes."
Ms Lindorff added that most smokers were not actually happy smoking and supported tax increases as an incentive to quit.
"Evidence shows that increases in price are the single most effective thing governments can do to make people quit," she said.
"There is huge public support, including from smokers particularly if it's going back into the health system or helping smokers to quit."
She said a survey the council conducted in Victoria after the first tobacco excise increase in December last year found 43 per cent of smokers were smoking fewer cigarettes as a result and one in four had tried to quit.
