Why the Albanese government rejected calls for a supermarket review 12 months ago

Despite vowing to do “whatever is necessary” to bring grocery prices down — it can be revealed the Albanese government refused to fast-track a review into supermarket price-gouging.

The Albanese government rejected a request to fast-track a nationwide review of supermarket conduct, it can be revealed despite the Prime Minister vowing to do “whatever is necessary” to bring down the price of essentials.

The Daily Telegraph can reveal Nationals leader David Littleproud privately wrote to Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh in December 2022, offering his party’s support in bringing forward the Grocery Code of Conduct Review by 12 months.

Despite inflation reaching fever pitch, the Albanese government rejected the request, with the review only starting this month — a year after the original request.

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese’s government rejected a push to fast track the review. Picture: Gaye Gerard

“It was obvious the cost-of-living crisis families have been feeling for the last 18 months was not the priority of the Albanese government, which was instead focused on their failed $450 million Referendum and had missed the opportunity to make sure there was fair, transparent pricing from the farmgate to Australian plates,” Mr Littleproud said.

“In July 2022 I provided the Assistant Minister for Competition with an offer for support on legislative reforms of the Code of Conduct that the reviewer Dr Craig Emerson has now been charged to undertake.”

In these twelve months, grocery prices have risen by about six per cent, based on price checks done by The Telegraph in December and a year ago.

Mr Leigh said the government was instead conducting an inquiry into a separate part of the code of conduct and would wait until October last year to look into the issue of dodgy practices.

David Littleproud. Picture: Martin Ollman

Assistant Minister for Competition Andrew Leigh. Picture: Gaye Gerard

The review was then delayed a further 100 days before Dr Emerson was entrusted with the audit.

Mr Leigh wrote in a letter in response to Mr Littleproud: “It remains appropriate for the review of the remaining provisions to take place in October 2023, as stipulated in the Code, to help maintain regulatory certainty and stability for all industry participants.”

On Tuesday, Anthony Albanese said he would do “whatever is necessary” to lower food costs after the consumer watchdog flagged legal action against supermarkets using deceptive pricing tactics.

The Prime Minister said the head of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) was “carefully” looking at potential litigation after supermarket chains came under scrutiny for high prices amid the ongoing cost of living crisis.

“We want to make sure that people are paying the lowest possible prices when they get to a checkout,” Mr Albanese said on Tuesday.

“That’s our priority, along with other measures to assist people and I’ve said very clearly we’ll look at ways to put to take pressure off the cost of living while not putting pressure on inflation.”
On Tuesday, Mr Leigh told the Daily Telegraph the government was “getting on with the job of making the Australian economy more competitive.”
“Rather than sniping from the sidelines, David Littleproud should be cheering the fact that Australia finally has a government that’s taking action to protect consumers and suppliers,” Mr Leigh said.

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