Voters won’t ‘buy’ PM’s promise to punish supermarkets

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will do nothing to lower supermarket prices using the metric he has proposed (“Leaders pledge to crack down on ‘rip-offs’ ”, 31/3). How can the PM crack down on so-called price gouging by supermarkets when his own investigative body, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, has found no evidence of it?

This is lowering power prices Mark II. That promise from the last election didn’t materialise and this one will evaporate, too.

The voting public can join the dots and see when a promise is just a “teaser”. Apart from that, we all use supermarkets and know the impact of higher costs on our shopping basket. The galling thing about this is that Albanese expects people to buy it.

Tim Sauer, Brighton East, Vic

In its final report the ACCC found no evidence of price gouging by Coles and Woolworths. When the report was handed down this point was more or less ignored. Now we have the Prime Minister saying he will introduce legislation to stop price gouging by the big two supermarkets. So, there you have it. He will stop them doing something that they are already not doing.

The statement sounded good, but it was really just hot air.

Ray Warren, Mandurah, WA

The difference between Labor and the Coalition is clear. Labor is top down, the Coalition is bottom up. Labor says to the supermarkets: “Look out, or we’ll fine you heavily.” The Coalition says: “By reducing the fuel excise we’ll be taking pressure off your costs and we’ll expect you to pass these savings on to shoppers.” The Coalition approach is better because it’s a carrot and stick. Labor is all stick and no carrot.

Tom Smith, Bowral, NSW

Cards on table

Full marks to independent MP Rebekha Sharkie for having the integrity to declare her intentions should either the Labor Party or Coalition not have a majority of seats after the election (“MP’s cards on table: ‘I’ll call Liberals first’ ”, 31/3). It will be interesting to see if the other independents, particularly the teals, are also upfront and honest with the electorate on where their allegiances lie. Integrity demands that independents inform the electorate before the election about who they will support should there be a hung parliament.

Riley Brown, Bondi Beach, NSW

Pro-Palestinian silence

It was bound to happen; those courageous Gazans who publicly condemned Hamas for its war against Israel facing brutal repercussions (“Hamas tortures, executes protesters in brutal crackdown”, 31/3). They have lived under Hamas’s rule for long enough to know its merciless cruelty, and would have been fully aware of the fate awaiting them, yet they protested nevertheless.

Now the inevitable is reported. At least six have been “executed” – a euphemism for tortured and murdered. One of whom, Odai al-Rubai, 22, was beaten and tortured for four hours, dragged by a rope around his neck, beaten with clubs and metal rods in front of passers-by, before he was dumped, dying, on his family’s doorstep with the message: “This is the punishment for those who bad mouth Hamas.”

There are those who support Hamas’s October 7 slaughter and hostage-taking of Israelis as “resistance”, and condemn Israel as an oppressor, genocidal, a terrorist state. Yet Israelis can and do criticise and protest against their government without being detained, tortured and murdered.

Where are the pro-Palestinian supporters’ voices and demonstrations denouncing Hamas’s brutality, and damning its terrorist actions against fellow Gazans?

Deborah Morrison, Malvern East, Vic

The fact there are Palestinian civilians in Gaza calling on Hamas to surrender and to return the Israeli hostages is a positive sign by brave and principled people.

The Australian reports that “Palestinian activists vow to disrupt election campaign, with Greens’ backing” (“Pre-poll rallies to target ‘racists’ ”, 31/3). Where do our local Palestinian activists stand in relation to Hamas? Next time they return to the streets of Melbourne and Sydney with their multi-coloured flags and enthusiasm, can we expect them to be exhorting Hamas to release the Israeli hostages?

Peter Fenwick, East Melbourne, Vic

US Greenland mistake

As your editorial implies (“Vance blunders in Greenland”, 31/3), it beggars belief that Donald Trump and JD Vance fail to see how their sloppy grab for Greenland cannot but greatly boost China’s claims on Taiwan.

Huge Greenland is already strongly allied with the West, as a protectorate of NATO member Denmark.

Tiny Taiwan, sitting within view of China, is also strongly allied with the West. First they strengthened Putin’s hands on Ukraine, now they’re extending the favour to Xi Jinping.

Paul Prociv, Mount Mellum, Qld