"The distilled liquor industry has been told to "go jump" by federal Treasurer Wayne Swan after it suggested the government's controversial alcopops tax was not tackling binge drinking."

The dirty war has begun, with the government still with its head in the sand. "It does indicate that tax in itself can be a blunt instrument to deal with a social problem," is the sanest thing said so far; the same can't be said about the rest of them in power.