Editorial: Fair go for farmers and shoppers

For most Queensland families, the cost-of-living crisis is like death by a thousand cuts, writes the editor.

For most Queensland families, the cost-of-living crisis is like death by a thousand cuts.

Stagnant wage growth means we are falling behind in real terms, interest rate and rent rises mean a larger chunk of our income disappears immediately, and high fuel prices and power bills mean we are left with precious little for any discretionary spending.

But the area where the squeeze is most keenly felt is at the supermarket, with the price of a full trolley of groceries regularly topping $300.

Nationals leader David Littleproud on Saturday called on the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to launch an inquiry into fruit and vegetables – arguing that supermarkets are making record profits off the back of hard-done-by farmers.

His call comes amid a surge of anger among farmers, with some saying they will walk away from the industry or refuse to sell to Coles and Woolworths.

At issue is the low prices the big two are paying farmers for their produce, and the fact these are not reflected in the prices shoppers are paying at the checkout.

This seems to be a rare issue of bipartisanship, with federal Agriculture Minister Murray Watt echoing Mr Littleproud’s sentiments – while pointing out that he thought of it first.

“I think all Australians expect the big supermarket chains to pay our farmers a fair price and I think in too many instances that’s not occurring,” Senator Watt said.

Now Queensland Premier Steven Miles has taken up the baton, writing to supermarket CEOs and requesting an urgent meeting.

“I indicated to them, that I was concerned with the growing gap in the prices being paid to farmers as compared to the prices being charged to Queensland households at the supermarket,” Mr Miles said.

“The fact is these grocery stores are making very large profits and those profits are having an impact on the cost of living for families wanting to put food on the table as well as farmers trying to make a living.”

We wish him well. Putting the cost of living crisis aside, when farmers leave the land it puts our island nation’s food security at risk. Governments cannot let it happen.

But as we have already indicated the supermarket checkout is just one of the thousand cuts that families are feeling at the moment.

At front of mind right now is back-to-school costs, with research by Officeworks indicating Queensland parents will shell out an average of $3300 per child for school supplies over the corse of a year.

This includes textbooks, uniforms, stationery and laptops, and their inevitable replacements as things go missing during the course of the year.

Also in The Courier-Mail today, a new report shows a massive decline in the number of Queensland GPs who offer bulk billing.

Just 17.6 per cent of Queensland GPs bulk bill, down from 27.3 per cent in just a year, according to healthcare directory Cleanbill.

On top of that, the average out-of-pocket expense for a visit to the doctor is now $41.27, up from $40 a year ago.

It’s only a small increase, but as Queenslanders know well, it all adds up.

And as Mr Miles knows, taking practical steps to reduce the cost of living crisis, and being seen doing so, may well be the key to winning the October state election.

HOSPITAL WORKERS DESERVE TO FEEL SAFE

The failings of Queensland’s health system have been well documented by The Courier-Mail.

Ambulance ramping continues to be a menace and the introduction of the much-vaunted “satellite hospitals” has caused confusion among patients, to name just two obvious issues.

But The Courier-Mail is always quick to point out that most of the failings of Queensland Health are political problems, or issues stemming from the bureaucracy.

Our frontline hospital workers – doctors, nurses and administrative and ancillary staff – are the heroes who keep the system going with their dedication.

So it’s galling to discover that 40 times a day on average these workers are violently abused – by patients, their families and visitors.

Such a figure is a shocking indictment on our society, and while some of these incidents involve patients with conditions such as dementia, many are sparked by frustrated people who think they have a right to lay their hands on a hospital worker.

Surely it goes without saying that everyone deserves respect in their workplace, and that expectation only increases if the workplace is a hospital? It’s a shame that the solution to this issue will involve increased security and training, rather than a dose of empathy for idiots who can’t control themselves.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here