Dr James Muecke reverses tack on a sugar tax campaign — here’s whyÂ
The ophthalmologist told doctors the sugar tax plan was failing to garner public or political support.
The 2020 Australian of the Year has called on the AMA to move on from campaigning for a tax on sugary drinks during a fiery speech at the AMA National Conference in Adelaide.
Ophthalmologist Dr James Muecke — who advocates for low-carb diets and eating “real food”, including red meat — called for a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages back in 2020.
The AMA did the same in 2018 and again during the 2025 federal election.
However, on Friday, Dr Muecke said the tax proposal struggled to garner support from the public or politicians.
