Big Fat Tax Analysis

In the article “Big fat tax is no gut buster” author Susie O’brien attacking the new tax on the fast food industry. By the opening slogan, “DON’T tax the big mac” she asserts her position on the tax. Written in bold the slogan immediately catches the eye and as it cleverly rhymes is very memorable. The author continues in cementing her standing on the issue by saying that a junk food tax is not the answer and the rhetorical question that, “why should reducing our weight start with our wallets?” Her target audience with this piece would be those for the tax as she argues that there are downsides to a tax on fast food as well as alternatives that could be better.

The image plastered in the centre of the article shows a man made of fast food. It relates to the subject of the article yet despite the amount of greasy fast food also seems appetising. The author also states that she is definitely for helping overweight Australians however that a fat tax is not the answer. We see colloquial language which creates a feeling of comfortability with the author when she states a fat tax is such a, “one-pronged solution” whilst also dismissing the idea as small-minded. The tone she has written in persuades readers to agree as she says, “it (government) can remove every damned junk food vending machines from gyms, sport club houses and schools.” The power in which the author says this makes her statement a real rallying point as if she is part of a protest. Whilst loaded language like “damned” and the rhetorical/loaded question of “why do so many parents reward kids for playing sport with a packet of chips?” This sentence gives readers who do this a sense of guilt whilst those who don’t may find it amusing. She then goes on to give the audience someone else to blame for their fat with the rhetorical question of, “Why not start by cracking down on irresponsible food labelling?” She continues on with fact and research as she states that all our foods are, “choc-full of toxic