Mr REPACHOLI (Hunter) (18:24):

I rise in support of this motion from my good friend the member for Hawke. The No.1 priority for the Albanese Labor government is cost-of-living relief. Supermarkets are a place where Australians have been feeling the squeeze every week. Supermarkets are seriously greedy. They are squeezing at both ends of the production line—squeezing consumers at the till and squeezing suppliers at the farm gate and at the factory. Enough is enough. The supermarket squeeze has gone on for too long.

In the Hunter, we are proud of our agricultural produce and our hardworking families. People across our electorate are feeling the supermarket squeeze as both consumers and producers. Families in our electorate shouldn't have to worry about whether they can afford the groceries they need. Our local farmers and other suppliers shouldn't be screwed over by unfair market practices that diminish their livelihoods.

Firstly, let's talk about the consumers. A trip down to the shop shouldn't be a stressful experience worrying about how much things are going to cost. We are taking action to help consumers get lower prices on their groceries. It's about fairness and transparency and about ensuring that every Australian has access to affordable supermarket goods so they can provide for themselves and for their family without being ripped off at the check-out. Our approach to taking on the supermarkets is based on issues that the ACCC has identified—take land banking, where Coles and Woolies hold on to land to stop smaller supermarkets from getting a foothold. They lock out smaller retailers, which strangles competition. It's a bad deal for consumers and a bad deal for suppliers. It needs to stop.

There's also shrinkflation—which is something I don't usually see too much of in myself! It's where a product gets smaller but the price remains the same or even increases. This juices up profits of big companies at the expense of consumers. There are few things worse than going to the shops, buying a product that you love and finding out that it's not only more expensive but, on top of that, smaller than it was before. It's a bloody rip-off.

Secondly, there's a squeeze on suppliers. The Food and Grocery Code of Conduct is an important weapon in our fight against the squeeze. This code was once voluntary, but this government has made it mandatory. What we need now is better enforcement. This code is a game changer for suppliers who have been bullied by supermarkets for far too long. By forcing this code, we can ensure that suppliers are treated fairly and that they can negotiate with the big supermarkets for a more equal position. But the big supermarkets have such a stranglehold on the industry that, for many consumers, there isn't any local alternative to Coles or Woolworths. As a supplier, if you ditch the big supermarkets, there might be no-one else to sell your product to. We're revitalising the National Competition Policy to address this. A competitive market is the backbone of a healthy economy. By encouraging competition, we stimulate innovation, improve efficiency and ultimately provide consumers with more choices at a lower price and provide suppliers with more retailers to work with.

Australians are sick and tired of the misconduct of the big supermarkets. They're sick of getting ripped off. Supermarket misconduct is destroying small-business suppliers and adding to the cost of living. To combat this, we are providing $30 million of additional funding to the ACCC to crack down on this rort. We're backing the ACCC to more effectively monitor, investigate and penalise, ensuring the big supermarkets are held accountable for their actions. In addition, we are funding the consumer organisation CHOICE, over three years, to report on supermarket prices across Australia. Access to reliable information about pricing empowers Aussies to make an informed decision, creating a market where fair pricing is rewarded and unethical practices are exposed. The government's No. 1 priority is tackling the cost-of-living pressures facing hardworking Aussies all around Australia. Part of this is ensuring that people are paying a fair price at the check-out and that Australian producers are getting a fair price for their work.

This motion embodies our commitment to fairness, transparency and wellbeing for all Australians. We are addressing this immediate need to lower supermarket prices while laying the groundwork for a more equitable and competitive economy for the long term. We are standing up to the big supermarkets. Enough is enough. We will stop this supermarket squeeze. To Coles and Woolies, I plead: look after your customers, stop screwing over your suppliers and do the right thing, as good Aussies want you do. Please look after us.