Anthony Albanese’s government has been called out after it was revealed it rejected a request to fast-track a review into the conduct of supermarket giants.
The Prime Minister has left the door open to expanding the powers of the n Competition and Consumer Commission to bring supermarkets into line amid concerns about price gouging in the cost-of-living crisis.
But Nationals leader David Littleproud said action could’ve been taken a year ago if the government had accepted his support to bring forward the food and grocery code of conduct’s review by 12 months.
‘The Prime Minister said (on Tuesday) that his government was concerned and they’re ready to do whatever’s needed,’ Mr Littleproud said on Wednesday.
‘Well, they had an opportunity and they turned their back on it. Now, what we’re saying is, let’s not have more reviews.’
Anthony Albanese’s government has been called out after it was revealed it rejected a request to fast-track a review into the conduct of supermarket giants
Former trade and competition minister Craig Emerson was last week appointed to review the code – a voluntary scheme that governs how the supermarkets interact with suppliers.
Mr Albanese has signalled he is willing to make that code mandatory should the retailers fail to pass on lower prices.
However, Mr Littleproud said ns doing it tough can’t wait until Dr Emerson’s review is completed.
He said he had written to Mr Leigh in December, 2022, giving his party’s support to bring the review forward by a year but it didn’t go ahead.
‘Let’s actually make the code mandatory,’ Mr Littleproud said.
‘Let’s put in divestiture powers. Let’s have big stick legislation that we can all walk into, and walk out and then give the ACCC the opportunity to investigate.
‘They need to actually look at this price gouging that’s taken place on fresh meat and fresh produce.’
With a by-election in the Melbourne electorate of Dunkley due either next month or early March, Mr Albanese is scrambling to convince voters he is acting on the cost-of-living.
The Prime Minister has left the door open to expanding the powers of the n Competition and Consumer Commission to bring supermarkets into line amid concerns about prices in the cost-of-living crisis (stock image)
Speaking on Wednesday morning, Mr Albanese said he was willing to give the consumer watchdog further powers to investigate grocery prices but only if chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb asks for them.
‘I know they’re examining it very closely because people are really concerned that when you’ve seen a drop in prices that are paid to farmers like our sheep farmers, that hasn’t flowed through as quickly as it should have to a reduction in prices at the checkout,’ he said.
‘And that is what is being examined.’
Ms Cass-Gottlieb has also flagged she is ‘carefully’ considering whether to launch legal action over alleged deceptive pricing.
Mr Albanese said he was doing ‘whatever is necessary’ to bring prices down.
‘We want to make sure that people are paying the lowest possible prices when they get to a checkout,’ he said.