Cost of living Qld: Steven Miles’ grocery probe a tokenistic sham, says Robbie Katter

Premier Steven Miles’ inquiry into grocery prices has again been slammed as “tokenistic” and a “sham” by Katter’s Australian Party.

Premier Steven Miles’ flagship cost-of-living inquiry has been labelled a tokenistic sham, amid accusations farmers were barely given time to have their say and hearings may only be held in three cities.

Mr Miles, in one of his first acts in the top job, announced a special inquiry designed to publicly grill supermarket giants in a show of strength against a worsening cost-of-living crisis.

But the inquiry has again been slammed as “tokenistic” and a “sham” by Katter’s Australian Party leader Robbie Katter after the committee revealed tight timelines for the public to have their say, with plans so far to hold hearings only in Brisbane, Bundaberg and Cairns.

Mr Katter’s fiery missive has since forced the state government to scramble for a solution, with inquiry head and Member for Bundaberg Tom Smith confirming the committee will consider extending feedback deadlines to ensure all Queenslanders can have their say.

Mr Katter accused the committee of “silently working in the shadows”, slamming a deadline of April 12 for stakeholders to have their say despite the inquiry being established only a month ago on March 7.

“At the time of the announcement I slammed the inquiry as being a tokenistic media stunt that would do nothing to help farmers or consumers,” he said.

Katter’s Australian Party state leader Robbie Katter

“I hate being right about these things, but I’m not far wrong.

“This committee has been silently working in the shadows, hoping to not bring attention to itself.

“Farm viability and consumer cost-of-living is too important to sweep under the carpet.”

It’s understood a list of industry stakeholders were invited to have their say when submissions to the inquiry officially opened about March 21.

But the committee’s first media release didn’t come until April 10 — just 48 hours before the feedback deadline.

The only other public notice of where to make submissions was published on the Queensland parliament Facebook page, in a post on March 21 which received a total of two likes and a share.

Mr Smith, in the release, called on Queensland producers to “put their story first-hand to the committee so as we can know the real stories behind the pressures” put on them.

“It is important to hear the first-hand accounts of Queensland producers outside of the peak industry associations. We need producers to put their story first-hand to the committee so as we can know the real stories behind the pressures being put on them,” he said.

Mr Smith, in light of the KAP’s criticism, said he was always happy to work with the party and would go back to the committee to discuss how submission deadlines could be extended so every Queenslander could have their say.

Originally published as Cost of living Qld: Steven Miles’ grocery probe a tokenistic sham, says Robbie Katter