Wednesday, 13 November 2024

Supermarket prices

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (18:36): (1282) My adjournment matter is for the Premier, and the action that I seek is that the Labor government urgently intervene in the profiteering practices of major supermarkets that are driving Australian families deeper into debt. In today’s economy countless Victorians are drowning in debt, struggling to make ends meet while supermarkets exploit their wallets and their mental health. The cycle of debt is not just a financial issue, it is a human crisis that tears families apart and devastates our communities. This is unacceptable, and it is the government’s responsibility to take a stand and address this.

As Rachna Madaan Bowman, a dedicated financial counsellor from South East Community Links, powerfully stated during the recent inquiry into food security in Victoria:

A lot of people coming to our service have not eaten for days, and if you have not eaten for days and you are sleeping in your car, you are quite heightened and you are quite distressed, and if we turn them away and say, ‘We can’t actually afford to give you food,’ that escalates the situation …

Turning someone away at that time when they are at their lowest is like you are kicking them in their guts again and telling them sorry … It is like a downward spiral.

Rachna’s words highlight the urgent need for comprehensive support systems that help Victorians navigate financial hardships without experiencing the exploitative practices of supermarkets. With their duopolistic control and pricing strategies, supermarkets are exacerbating the cost-of-living crisis by making essential goods unaffordable for many families. This increases financial stress and limits access to nutritious food, pushing our most vulnerable communities further into desperation.

A recent Essential poll shows that 70 per cent of Australians support price caps on rent, on groceries and on energy bills. The government must act now to regulate supermarket pricing and ensure fair practices that do not trap families in unmanageable debt. Additionally, significant investment needs to be made in financial counselling services to provide the necessary support for those already struggling. The Greens have consistently called for the Labor government to prioritise the financial wellbeing of all Victorians. It is time to put people over profits and ensure that every family has the support they need to thrive without the fear of falling into debt. The Greens will support you; you just need the guts to do it.

The PRESIDENT: I might review that one too, Mr Puglielli. I am not undermining the seriousness of your concern. I just do not know if the supermarkets ever fall into the state government’s remit, so I will have a look at that one.