Greens announce $30m plan to entice Aldi to Tasmania, say move will bring down grocery prices
The Greens have announced a $30m policy to lure discount supermarket chain Aldi to Tasmania, saying their plan would help ease cost-of-living pressures. HOW IT WOULD WORK >>>
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The Greens have vowed to entice discount supermarket chain Aldi to Tasmania under a $30m policy that would be implemented if the party came to power at the federal level.
Tasmanian Greens Senator Nick McKim, who is the party’s economic justice spokesman, announced the plan on Thursday, saying it would help ease cost-of-living pressures in the state.
“Coles and Woolworths have had it too good for too long, and Tasmanians are paying the price,” he said.
“A lack of competition means shoppers here are paying at least $15 more on a basket of essential groceries compared to Aldi, which adds up to hundreds of dollars a year.”
Senator McKim said the Greens would launch a $2m supermarket competition review that would determine the barriers preventing discount supermarkets such as Aldi from establishing themselves in Tasmania.
The party would then provide the state government with up to $28m to support the entry of new competitors in the supermarket sector, which could involve subsidising distribution centres, boosting supply chains, and making government land available to supermarket retailers on a competitive basis.
“The Greens will force real competition into the Tasmanian market and make groceries affordable again,” Senator McKim said.
The party’s plan would be funded by forcing major corporations and billionaires to pay “their fair share of tax”.
A report published last year by consumer group CHOICE found that Aldi was the most affordable supermarket chain in the country, with the total price of an average basket of groceries being $50.79.
While Aldi has almost 600 stores across Australia, Tasmania is the only state without one.
Speaking at a Senate inquiry in April last year, Aldi CEO Anna McGrath said the chain had “no current plan” to open a store in Tasmania, citing supply chain “complexities”.
“That’s not to say that we don’t continuously review where we may expand in the future,” she said.
Tasmanian independent senator Tammy Tyrrell has also pushed for Aldi to head south to the island state, launching a petition that has attracted thousands of signatures.
“They say imitation is the best form of flattery [and] I’m glad the Greens are finally on board my campaign to bring Aldi to Tassie,” she said.
“The more the merrier – if this puts more pressure on Aldi to make the leap across Bass Strait, I’m happy with that.
“The [Australian Competition and Consumer Commission] says bringing Aldi to town saves people an average of $890 a year. That could be the difference for someone keeping their heater on in winter or not.”
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