New Rules for Alcohol and Tobacco in New Zealand and Australia

Introduction

New Zealand and Australia are changing their laws about alcohol and tobacco. They want to help their economies and stop illegal sales.

Main Body

New Zealand wants to help businesses grow. The government will make it easier to sell alcohol. They will allow longer hours for sports events. They believe most people drink safely. In Australia, the government is losing money from tobacco taxes. Many people buy illegal cigarettes because legal ones are too expensive. Criminals sell these cheap cigarettes. Some leaders in Australia want lower taxes to stop the illegal market. However, the government says no. They will spend more money on police instead.

Conclusion

New Zealand wants fewer rules for business. Australia has a big problem with illegal tobacco sales.

Learning

⚡ Quick Win: The 'Want' Pattern

In this text, we see a very common way to say what a person or a government desires:

[Person/Group] + want(s) + [Thing/Action]

  • New Zealand wants to help...
  • Leaders want lower taxes...

Keep it simple:

  • Use want for many people (Leaders, They, We).
  • Use wants for one entity (New Zealand, The government).

🌍 Word Swap: 'Legal' vs 'Illegal'

These two words are opposites. If you know one, you know the other!

Legal → 🆗 Follows the law (e.g., Legal cigarettes) Illegal → 🚫 Breaks the law (e.g., Illegal sales)

Tip: Adding 'il-' to the front of 'legal' changes the meaning to the opposite. This is a great trick for A2 learners to expand their vocabulary quickly.

Vocabulary Learning

economies (n.)
the wealth or resources of a country
Example:New Zealand wants to help its economies grow.
illegal (adj.)
not allowed by law
Example:Many people buy illegal cigarettes because legal ones are too expensive.
sales (n.)
the act of selling something
Example:The government wants to stop illegal sales of tobacco.
tobacco (n.)
a plant used to make cigarettes
Example:Australia has a big problem with illegal tobacco sales.
police (n.)
the people who enforce the law
Example:They will spend more money on police instead.