Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister Watt, the Minister representing the Minister for Finance, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government. Australians have been feeling the impact of cost-of-living pressures at our checkouts, with regional Australians impacted by supermarket price rises even more. So how is the Albanese government helping all Australians cope with cost-of-living pressures, including getting a fair deal at the supermarket? And why is ensuring Australians can earn more and keep more of what they earn so important to delivering cost-of-living relief?

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Link to 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.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order!

Order! Order! Senator McKenzie, once again, after I've called order at least four times you've continued to interject. You are being incredibly disorderly towards me. Senator Pratt, first supplementary.

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I've heard a lot of commentary in this chamber about supermarkets. But my constituents tell me consistently they want less talk and more real action to help them with their grocery bills. So why is the Albanese government's strong and considered approach to supermarkets the right way to support Australians to respond to cost-of-living pressures at the checkout?

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

Thank you, Senator Pratt. It is the right way, because, unlike what the coalition says, it isn't going to drive up prices at the checkout. Just like their divisive nuclear policy, this announcement yesterday was just another chaotic announcement from Mr Dutton and the coalition, but this time it was driven by those giants of economic policy, the Greens' political party.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath.

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

Once again, Mr Dutton and the Liberals have been rolled by the Nationals, who have then been rolled by the Greens. Twice in a fortnight, we have seen the National Party tail wagging the Liberal Party dog—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McGrath! Senator McKenzie!

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

And I hear Senator McGrath over there, who is now a member of the National-Liberal Party, not the Liberal-National Party—

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just wondering if we could perhaps hear the minister? He's quite loud.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Point of order! Point of order on order! Senator Watt has one of the louder voices in this place and I'm sitting here and I can barely hear him.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Order! Order! Order! As I'm sure you're aware, Senator Wong, I have called the chamber to order since I got into the chair at 2 pm. Sadly, today I am not having much luck in getting the chamber to come to order, but let's try again. Minister, please continue.

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

Twice in a fortnight we have seen the National Party tail wagging the Liberal dog. It really does seem as if the member for Maranoa, Mr Littleproud, the Leader of the Nationals, is becoming the 'mini-Morrison' of the new opposition. One day he's the shadow energy minister, spouting nuclear policy and driving nuclear policy. The next day he's out there spouting supermarket policy. We even have the Nationals leading economic policy; not a single Liberal shadow minister can get a look in on that. No wonder Senator McKenzie is looking so happy. They're taking over.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister Watt, resume your seat. Senator Pratt, second supplementary?

Louise Pratt (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Western Australians have welcomed the government's work to crack down on anticompetitive behaviour in supermarkets as part of broader cost-of-living measures. How is the government providing meaningful relief to Australian families at Australian check-outs?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Birmingham, order!

Honourable senators interjecting—

Order across the chamber!

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

Senator Pratt, I can certainly tell you that it's not by taking competition policy advice from the Greens political party. When the Nationals and the Greens are dictating the coalition's economic policy, you know the Liberals are in trouble. As we've heard, today's Australian had several unnamed Liberal MPs expressing angst over their supermarkets policy. I wonder who they could have been.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, resume your seat. Minister Watt, please continue.

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

Who were those unnamed Liberals in the Australian today? Could they have been Senator Dean Smith, who in February said divestiture powers were 'ill conceived in the Australian context', or Senator Hume, who has said there's 'always concern with divestiture powers whether they will actually decrease prices'?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator McDonald, a point of order?

Susan McDonald (Queensland, National Party, Shadow Minister for Resources) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question was: what is the government doing to reduce supermarket prices?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Watt, I will direct you back to the question.

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

Now the Nationals don't want to hear about their own supermarkets policy that they invented. We even had former Victorian Liberal premier Jeff Kennett say that this policy was 'madness' that 'would not bring down prices at the check-out'. Imagine being called mad by Jeff Kennett! That is the stage the modern Liberal Party has got to. To the Liberal moderates: if you want a balanced budget, come over here. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.