Health Minister Nicola Roxon is expecting strong opposition from distillers as the government pushes through parliament its plan for a permanent tax hike on alcopops.

Labor is making a second attempt to win parliamentary approval for a 70 per cent tax increase on ready-to-drink alcoholic beverages.

The measure passed the lower house on Monday night and will be debated by the Senate later this week.

The coalition, which previously helped defeat the measure, is now backing the government albeit without the support of all its MPs.

Ms Roxon says the industry is campaigning hard against the tax increase because it was having an effect on alcopops sales, as the government intended.

"It was affecting their revenue and they were putting their profits and their business interests ahead of the health of young people," she told reporters.

"I am sure that they will continue to argue strongly against this measure."

Ms Roxon said one dissident coalition MP - the Nationals Darren Chester - won the Gippsland byelection last year with an advertising campaign paid for and run by the distillers.

Mr Chester was one of four MPs who defied the coalition leadership and voted against the measure in the lower house.

Nationals senate leader Barnaby Joyce says he won't be supporting the legislation when it is debated in the upper house.

AAP