Cassandra Fernando (Holt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

The cost of living is the No. 1 concern in my community. Many are struggling to afford everyday essentials. As their representatives, we have a duty to protect them from unfair business practices. While global events such as COVID-19 and the conflict in Ukraine have disrupted supply chains and pushed up prices, some companies have exploited these circumstances to boost their profits at the expense of Australian families. Our government is taking action to address these practices. We've launched one of the biggest crackdowns on supermarkets in history, focusing on transparency, accountability and fair pricing. Our step was to launch an inquiry into price gouging by supermarkets and to provide price comparisons across Coles, Woolworths and Aldi. These three retailers control 75 per cent of the market, yet the code regulating their conduct with suppliers has been voluntary and lacked real penalties. Under Labor, this will change. We are making the code mandatory for supermarkets with revenue exceeding $5 billion. By introducing enforceable rules and meaningful penalties, we are ensuring farmers and families get a fair go.

Our government is also tackling misleading practices head on. The government is taking Woolworths and Coles to court for fake discounts. This is where they have been accused of inflating prices, only to apply a 'discount' sticker falsely advertising deals while charging more than the original price. We are also addressing shrinkflation, where companies reduce product sizes but keep prices at the same level. If you think your packets of chips or boxes of cereal have been getting smaller, you are probably right.

The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, said:

We don't want to see ordinary Australians, families and pensioners being taken for a ride by the supermarkets, and we're taking steps to make sure they get a fair go at the checkout.

To back this up, we've committed $30 million in additional funding to the ACCC to enforce these measures. This is what happens when a government properly equips and supports its regulator to do their job. Under the Liberals, regulators were weakened and the big businesses were left unchecked. Labor are reversing this trend by strengthening our consumer regulator to ensure fairness at the checkout.

We are also addressing hidden fees on digital payments. While card payments are now commonplace, many Australians have been hit with sneaky charges. The Albanese government is preparing to ban excessive debit card surcharges pending advice from the Reserve Bank of Australia. This reform will put more money back in Australians' pockets while helping small businesses compete fairly against larger retailers, who often use their size to waive these fees.

I always say that cash is king. By 2026, we will require businesses selling essential goods, such as groceries, medicines and fuel, to accept cash. Like 1.5 million Australians, I still use cash for more than 80 per cent of my transactions. We are doing this to ensure Australians have access to necessities, even in situations when digital systems fail. In a world more and more reliant on computers, we cannot afford to let bad software updates disrupt people's ability to access essential goods. Our actions our clear. We are standing up for Australians at the checkout and ensuring they are not taken advantage of by big corporations. By enforcing stronger regulations and fairer codes, we are setting a new standard—one that protects all Australians and holds businesses accountable. These reforms send a strong message: we will not stand by while families struggle and corporations profit unfairly.

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