Taxpayer Talk: Rowan Pike on NZ's and Aussie's illicit tobacco boom

This week on Taxpayer Talk , Jordan is joined by international consultant Rowan Pike , a former Australian Federal Police officer and Customs and Border Force expert, to unpack the explosive rise of illicit tobacco in Australia . With around half of all cigarettes now sourced from the black market , Rowan reveals how sky-high excise taxes have fuelled organised crime, gang violence, and a thriving underground trade. Drawing on his frontline experience, he explains how well-intentioned policies can backfire — and what New Zealand can learn from Australia’s mistakes. If you care about harm reduction, smarter regulation , and keeping communities safe from criminal networks, this is an episode you won’t want to miss. Support the show

You can listen to Taxpayer Talk: Rowan Pike on NZ's and Aussie's illicit tobacco boom online on Radio and Podcast. Open the player on this page to stream the available audio.

Taxpayer Talk: Rowan Pike on NZ's and Aussie's illicit tobacco boom is an episode from Taxpayer Talk - podcast by the New Zealand Taxpayers' Union by New Zealand Taxpayers' Union Inc..

This episode is 23:54 long.

This episode was published on Oct 23, 2025.

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