Annette Ellis (Canberra, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

At the very start, I have to say in passing that I find it quite amusing that the member for Cowper uses a term like ‘quick political fix’. Anything quicker than 12 years is quick! In terms of grocery prices and the general cost of living in this country, the government before us did not do very much. In fact, one could not be blamed for saying they did little, if anything. So, Member for Cowper—a quick political fix? Well, we are quick, if that is the measure that you use. But I digress slightly.

I saw a brief quote from the member for Kennedy today through AAP. Whilst it may not be the full quote, it says:

I officially call today, and I will in the parliament ... for the sacking of Mr Samuel …

He has brought out a report saying there is no problem in Australia, he absolutely knows that food retailing in Australia, 82 per cent of it, is held by two people (Coles and Woolworths).

Mr Samuel has got to go.

I really think it is important in this debate—which I think is a very important debate—on the MPI today, to reflect on what Mr Samuel actually said, in fuller terms than the member for Kennedy’s quote. At the press conference at the release of the report into grocery pricing, Mr Samuel said in part:

Our inquiry found that overall the grocery market is, as the Minister has said, workably competitive. That term is used to describe a market in which competition exists but it is definitely not as competitive as it should be. In a working competitive market there is sufficient competition to protect consumers from monopolistic practises but there is a lack of the type of strong and vigorous competition—

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