Nick Xenophon (SA, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senators Colbeck and Milne, move:

That the following matter be referred to the Economics References Committee for inquiry and report by 15 April 2011:

The impact on the Australian dairy industry supply chain by the recent decision by Coles supermarket (followed by Woolworths, Aldi and Franklins) to heavily discount the price of milk (to $1 per litre) and other dairy products on the Australian dairy industry, with particular reference to:

(a)

wholesale milk prices;

(b)

the decrease in Australian production of milk from 11 billion litres in 2004 to 9 billion litres in 2011, of which only 25 per cent is drinking milk;

(c)

whether such a price reduction is anti-competitive;

(d)

the suitability of the framework contained in the Horticulture Code of Conduct to the Australian dairy industry;

(e)

the recommendations of the 2010 Economics References Committee report, Milking it for all it’s worth—competition and pricing in the Australian dairy industry and how these have progressed;

(f)

the need for any legislative amendments; and

(g)

any other related matters.