The Government of Australia wants to expand excise duty on tobacco to raise an additional A$5.3 billion ($4.7 billion) in income. An organized 12.5 percent rise in the excise duty will be acquainted from 1 December 2013 to help the budget to surplus by the year 2016-17. As this move will expand the cost of cigarettes it might additionally help to combat health issues since tobacco-related diseases cost Australia more than A$31 billion yearly.