Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Treasurer, Senator Gallagher. We've heard this week about how the government has helped Australians with tax cuts and other cost-of-living relief whilst helping with the inflation challenge with back-to-back surpluses and paying down Liberal debt. Another area of focus for the government is cracking down on dodgy supermarket practices, including tackling shrinkflation. Minister, can you please explain how the Albanese Labor government is working to ensure that Australians get a fair deal when they do their weekly supermarket shop?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Smith for the question and for focusing on those key cost-of-living issues affecting Australians. The government believes that Australians deserve a fair deal when they do their weekly supermarket shop. Last week, we announced a crackdown on dodgy supermarket practices, including tackling shrinkflation, where customers are charged the same for less product. 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 check-out.

We have provided the ACCC with a $30 million boost to crack down on market conduct, including misleading and deceptive pricing practices. We've commenced consultation on a mandatory food and grocery code. We've commenced work with the states and territories to revitalise national competition policy, including on planning and zoning for supermarkets. We have supported CHOICE to release its second Albanese government funded price-monitoring report, giving Australians accurate data on where to get the cheapest groceries. These are real commonsense reforms that will make a difference to Australians when they're doing their shopping, and it's backed by the ACCC. These aren't the thought bubbles and political bluster that come from the unholy alliance that we've been seeing developing between the Australian Greens and the coalition.

Whilst undertaking these reforms to make the system fairer, we're also providing immediate cost-of-living relief in the form of tax cuts and power bill relief. It always wakes you up, though, doesn't it, because it's so uncomfortable. We're reducing health costs for Australians with cheaper medicines and increasing bulk-billing and free urgent care clinics across the country, with 76 more of those to come. We're working hard to get the budget and the economy in order after a decade of mismanagement by the coalition—back-to-back surpluses, less of Australia's money spent on Liberal debt and bringing down inflation. (Time expired)

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

Senator Smith, first supplementary?

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's good to hear that the government is working closely with the ACCC to ensure a fair go for Australians. Today, in the House, the Treasurer introduced mergers and acquisitions reform to drive competition across our economy. Why is this important?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thanks, Senator Smith. That was an important announcement today. The Treasurer continues the Albanese Labor government's work with the ACCC today with the introduction of a bill to enact historic reforms for a more competitive economy. Under the new system, we'll set clear thresholds to determine whether a merger needs ACCC approval, and there are also powers to ensure all the high-risk mergers are looked at.

This new approach will also ensure that the ACCC is notified of every merger in the supermarket sector. Reviewing every supermarket merger is part of the decisive action our government is taking to help Australians get fairer prices at the check-out. We want to make sure that supermarket mergers don't come at the cost of Australians, families and pensioners getting a fair price on their groceries. The government thanks ACCC chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb for the work she does in promoting competition and ensuring that consumers get a fair go.

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

Senator Smith, second supplementary?

Marielle Smith (SA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Albanese Labor government has repaired the budget in order to provide the cost-of-living relief Australians need and deserve. What challenges has the government faced in providing cost-of-living relief to Australians, and what risks have emerged that threaten the delivery of services that Australians need and deserve?

Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Smith. We've seen in this chamber, during the course of the last two years, attempts to frustrate the government in ensuring that Australians were able to get the cost-of-living relief that they deserve. We've seen it when it came to providing energy bill relief and when it came to providing cheaper medicines and even investments in cheaper child care.

Today, we saw it with that unholy alliance that I spoke about earlier with the Greens, the Liberals and the Nationals voting together against a future made in Australia. It is very difficult to explain to our constituents why you would vote against a future made in Australia, but there you go. Of course, we know that those opposite have already foreshadowed that, if they were to form government, they would cut $315 billion out of the budget, hurting pensioners and hurting all of those that rely on important government services. (Time expired)