Cross-country independent MPs blast major parties for supermarket inaction
PRESSURE is mounting on the country’s major political parties to intervene firmly and swiftly in addressing supermarket prices and market share, as independent crossbench MPs team up to introduce legislation which would significantly shake-up the behaviour of the grocers.
Calare MP Andrew Gee has affirmed his support for Kennedy MP Bob Katter’s fight to foster a competitive supermarket sector, while levelling out the prices paid by consumers, in comparison to prices awarded to farmers.
Just weeks after his now famous pig stunt at parliament, shaming the two major supermarkets, Mr Katter travelled to Orange, in Mr Gee’s electorate, ahead of the local Senate hearing in the supermarket prices inquiry.
While the two independent MPs representing rural communities plan on introducing legislation later this month – Reducing Supermarket Dominance - on Tuesday, they questioned and highlighted the lack of action by the major parties.
“It’s vital to draw attention to the shocking behaviour of the supermarket pigs and hogs. Their snouts are in the money trough, they’re rolling around in massive profits, yet they pay our farmers a pittance and price gouge customers on the way through,” Mr Gee said.
“Urgent action is required to give our farmers and consumers a fair go.
“We also need to point out to the National Party, the Liberal Party and the Labor Party, that talking about taking action is not good enough. Words have to be backed up by deeds.
“The National Party had nine years to stop the supermarket hogs and failed. The National Party also introduced the Grocery Code of Conduct and it turned out to be a dud which has not stopped the price gouging.
“They introduced laws on the misuse of market power which have also been ineffective in taming the hogs.
“Next week in Parliament, the Independents are taking action, through Bob and the Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill.
“It will wind back the market share of the big supermarkets and level the playing field between the farmers and the supermarket giants.
“What we want is for the National Party and all major parties to not just hold press conferences and talk about taking action, but to actually vote in favour of this game-changing legislation.
“If you’re not prepared to back up your big talk with a vote in Parliament, it’s all just hot air and porkies.
“Today we are highlighting the fact that it is the crossbench which comes to Parliament with answers. We want the major parties to back up their words with deeds. Stop just talking the talk. Start walking the walk. Vote for the Reducing Supermarket Dominance Bill. Help get the snouts out of the trough,” Mr Gee said.
Mr Katter echoed Mr Gee’s calls of hypocrisy from the major parties, reminding everyone that he attempted to introduce his legislation in 2013 and it was knocked back by the then LNP Government.
Mr Katter echoed Mr Gee’s calls of hypocrisy from the major parties, reminding everyone that he attempted to introduce his legislation in 2013 and it was knocked back by the then LNP Government.
In summary, the legislation would:
- Force divestiture of the supermarkets and their market power in the grocery sector to a maximum of 20 per cent within five years.
- Require the publication of information on what is being paid to the farmer and by the consumer, as well as regulate 100 per cent mark up on prices paid to producers, to then what is charged to consumers.
- Scrapping the ‘food and grocery code of conduct’ noting it fails to address power imbalances and instead provides a mechanism by which supermarkets control suppliers and producers.
“The Coalition voted against this – they were there for 10 years – they sat on their hands and did nothing,” Mr Katter said.
“When they could do something, they did nothing and now that they can’t do anything, they are promising to do something, for an exercise in hypocrisy, this is just beyond belief.
“But every second word we hear at Parliament is ‘affordability,’ yet it’s all talk. What have the major parties done about it besides hold inquiries and investigations?
“To quote Winston Churchill ‘if you absolutely must not and cannot do it, then you hold an inquiry. And the wider terms of reference, the less likely to hit a target’.
“There is not a single action that has been taken to improve affordability in that place, yet here is a bill that could almost half your food bill. So why won’t you vote for it?
“Meanwhile, we’ve got the poor old potato farmer, as just one example. This is someone who absorbs all the costs – planting, fertilising, controlling pests and weeds, picking, cleaning, packing and transporting. They’re getting paid 99c per kilo for all that.
“And then, what do Woolworths and Coles do? All they have to do is put it on the shelves, and they get over $4. How does that make any sense?”
