Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

Thanks very much, Senator Pratt. I know you have done a lot of great work on this issue recently in committee. The Albanese government does know that Australians are doing it tough. That's why our policies are designed to provide real cost-of-living help for everyone, including in our regions.

Every Australian taxpayer is getting a tax cut under Labor, not just some. And our $300 energy bill relief is beginning to flow, with 2.6 million low-paid workers getting their third consecutive pay rise, backed by this Labor government. Importantly, we are helping bring down prices at the checkout. The price of fruit and vegetables in Australia has fallen in three consecutive quarters, but we know more is needed. That's why we're strengthening the food and grocery code of conduct. We're cracking down on anticompetitive behaviour from supermarkets, so families and farmers get a fair go. This includes making the code mandatory and fines of up to $10 million for supermarkets caught doing the wrong thing.

All of these measures are designed to make a real difference at the checkout for Australians, and not one of them was taken in the 10 years of Liberal-National Party government, and they haven't learned now they're in opposition. What we saw yesterday from the coalition was another absolute shambles of a policy announcement from Mr Dutton. After opposing every single cost-of-living measure—we have delivered tax cuts, cheaper power, cheaper medicines, cheaper child care, more housing—his big cost-of-living idea is to maybe sell Coles stores to Woolies and sell Woolies stores to Coles. What a genius idea! That's really going to help supermarket competition. That's really going to help those prices at the checkout. Those CEOs at those big supermarkets must be rubbing their hands with glee. Driving prices up, especially in regional Australia, to expand their profits more. Coles becoming Woolies, Woolies becomes Coles, Nationals becoming Greens, Greens becoming Nationals—what an absolute joke you have become.