To the Honourable The Speaker and Members of the House of Representatives

The petition of certain citizens of Australia draws to the attention of the House:

In May 2010 the Senate Economics References Committee released the report from their inquiry into milk pricing entitled Milking it for all it's worth—competition and pricing in the Australian dairy industry.

The Senate Committee formed the view that the retail and processor levels are now dominated by two supermarket chains, Coles and Woolworths, and a handful of (now mostly foreign owned) processors, placing the farmers at a competitive disadvantage. It took the view that the major supermarkets appear to be using their dominant market positions (having captured 80% of the grocery market) to drive down the farmgate price through the sale of generic products that puts pressure on processors who are forced to compete with their own products.

We note that at times this is leading to severe hardship amongst dairy farmers, accelerating the process of forcing some to have to leave their farms.

Your petitioners therefore ask the House to:

Act on the recommendations of the Senate Economics References Committee report Milking it for all it's worth—competition and pricing in the Australian dairy industry.

from 439 citizens