Leader of The Nationals David Littleproud is calling on the Albanese Labor Government to release the ACCC’s interim report into Australia’s supermarket sector as the cost-of-living crisis continues to impact families across the nation.
The interim report, which examined the pricing practices of supermarkets as well as the relationship between wholesale, including farmgate, and retail prices, was delivered to the Government last month but has still yet to be released.
Mr Littleproud said the government’s failure to release the report was yet another example of the Albanese Labor Government dragging its heels on dealing with potential price gouging by the supermarkets that impacts farmers at the farmgate and families at the checkout.
“There are families that won’t have dinner tonight, yet the Albanese Government is so out of touch, they’ve failed to realise the urgency of addressing competition in the supermarket sector,” Mr Littleproud said.
“In 2022, The Nationals called for the Albanese Government to urgently bring forward a Food and Grocery Code review, and then in 2023, we called for the ACCC to be directed to start an urgent price inquiry before Christmas. Labor repeatedly ignored our warnings for more than 12 months before finally announcing powers for an ACCC inquiry in late January this year.
“The Labor Government was due to receive the ACCC’s interim report into Australia’s supermarket sector by 31 August and today ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb confirmed the interim report had been provided to them.
“Labor needs to urgently release this interim report to allow full transparency on supermarket conduct.”
Mr Littleproud’s calls come as the ACCC today announced it had commenced separate legal proceedings against both Coles and Woolworths for allegedly breaching the Australian Consumer Law by misleading consumers through discount pricing claims on hundreds of common supermarket products.
“Australian farmers and Australian families simply want fairness at the farmgate and the supermarket checkout,” Mr Littleproud said.
“In the middle of a cost-of-living crisis, Australians need less talk and more action from this government to ensure a fair price from the farm gate to your plate.”
