NEWS of another proposed price hike on alcohol has Warwick business owners, local producers and shoppers seeing red, but those fighting the battle against binge drinking believe a hike would have benefits.

A draft plan before the Federal Government would see the cost of all alcoholic drinks unable to slip below a minimum price, around $1.50 for each standard drink.

This could see a slab of beer rise from $45 to about $50 and a $7 bottle of wine rise to $10.

The worst affected would be cask wine, due to the quantity of standard drinks in each cask, which could rise to $45.

Warwick Hotel manager Darren Pettiford said a hike would not make sense.

"When they brought in the alco-pop tax, people just shifted their drinking habits,” he said.

"They moved away from pre-mixed drinks and started buying bottled spirits, but now they've shifted back as they got used to the price. And people like to know how much they're drinking, as opposed to pouring their own.

"These plans don't affect the people they're targeted at - more the ordinary, casual drinker who is slugged more for the drinks they like to enjoy.

"I don't think more rises will change a thing with regards to binge drinking - if people want to do it, they'll do it.

"This is just another way for the government to make more money.”

Alcohol taxes earned the Federal Government $2.4billion last year.

Shopper Lynn Close said, as with previous price rises on tobacco and alcohol, people would just find a way to get what they wanted.

"They'll go without something else if they have to,” she said.

"I think ordinary Australians are being penalised.

"But it's like with anything the government jacks the price up on - people will get used to it soon enough. I don't think it'll change anything in the long run.”

Symphony Hill Wines winemaker Mike Hayes said a volumetric tax plan had been pipeline for quite a while.

"I don't agree with it myself,” he said.

"It has ramifications for more abuse of other substances, it might put alcohol out of reach of many people.

"People will look elsewhere for cheaper kicks.”

Mr Hayes said the tax would penalise all consumers, for the sake of a small group.

There was a huge consumption of cask wine in Australia, he said.

"This will damage that market but won't affect premium wines that already charge a high price.

"I just don't think this is the right way to go about curbing binge-drinking.

"The European method of very visible warning labels would be more effective.”

Drug Arm has advocated action on alcohol pricing.

Communications and relationships manager Alex Davis said cheap alcohol resulted in higher rates of consumption.

"This includes heavier drinking, occasional drinking, underage drinking and higher levels of harm,” she said.

"The harm affects the drinker, their partners, their children and community, with Queenslanders paying for the cost of this harm through health, police, social services and court costs.

"An increase to pricing as a strategy has been proved very successful, you just have to look at the success of reducing tobacco use through pricing regulation.”