Grocery Prices

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Griffith MP Max Chandler-Mather (Greens), which means it failed. The motion was to suspend the usual procedural rules - known as standing orders - in order to let another vote take place.

Amendment text

That so much of the standing and sessional orders be suspended as would prevent the Member for Griffith from moving the following motion:

That the House:

(1) notes that:

(a) too many people are struggling to afford to feed themselves and their families, while Coles and Woolworths are price gouging to make billion dollar profits;

(b) last week, CHOICE released a report that confirms what Australian shoppers already know, that they are being price gouged by the supermarket duopoly, and there is not enough competition in the supermarket sector;

(c) the Greens-led Senate inquiry into supermarket prices made a number of recommendations including making price gouging illegal, but the Government is only choosing to implement one of those recommendations, a mandatory Grocery Code of Conduct, that affects suppliers but will do nothing to bring down the cost of food for shoppers;

(d) the Government has failed to take any action that would bring down the cost of food and groceries; and

(e) the Chair of the ACCC has confirmed that if divestiture powers were introduced they could increase competition in the supermarket sector and, under economic analysis, this would bring down the cost of grocery prices; and

(2) calls on the Government to stop offering bandaid answers to the big crises facing people, and implement all the recommendations of the Greens-led Senate inquiry into supermarket prices, including making price gouging illegal, and supporting the Australian Greens' Competition and Consumer Amendment (Divestiture Powers) Bill to introduce powers to break up the supermarket duopoly, which would lower the cost of food and groceries