SUMMARY

The Problem:

• Two supermarket giants control almost everything we buy
• Families in Bass are paying too much for basic groceries
• Farmers are forced to accept unfair prices for their produce
• Less of our money is flowing into local businesses

Our Solution: A government-backed supermarket that would:

• Force big chains to lower their prices through real competition
• Be eventually sold to new private owners (never to Coles or Woolworths)
• Put money back in your pocket for other local spending
• Give farmers and suppliers fair deals

How It Works

Like when the US government investment in aluminum plants during WWII inadvertently created market competition, we need infrastructure for true competition - not just more rules that get ignored.

Why Now Matters

Bass is a key election battleground. By showing candidates we care about fixing supermarket price gouging, we can make this an issue they can't ignore.

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DETAILED PETITION

Who Is Impacted?

Families across Bass are struggling with skyrocketing grocery prices. Seniors on fixed incomes are skipping meals, parents are cutting back on fresh produce, and local small businesses can't compete with the duopoly that controls an ever-growing portion of Australia's grocery market.

Tasmanian farmers and local producers face excessive pressure, with many forced to accept unfair contract terms and artificially low prices for their produce, often below the cost of production. The duopoly's overwhelming buying power leaves our agricultural sector with few alternatives but to accept whatever terms are offered or risk losing their livelihoods entirely.

Workers within these supermarket chains face poor conditions with limited bargaining power, while consumers pay inflated prices. We're all paying more for less while watching these corporations use their market power to squeeze consumers, suppliers, and workers alike.

What's At Stake?

Labor's proposed competition reforms—increasing maximum penalties from $10 million to $50 million, introducing a Super Complaint function, and making unfair contract terms illegal—are important first steps. These measures complement Senator Tammy Tyrrell's campaign to bring ALDI to Tasmania. However, both approaches don't address fundamental infrastructure barriers to market entry.

I propose a Supermarket Competition Fund to establish various competition-enhancing measures. One approach draws inspiration from what happened with aluminum production in the US during WWII, when the government investment in new production facilities to meet wartime demand inadvertently created competition for Alcoa. While the government's primary goal wasn't breaking up Alcoa's dominance, the effect was increased market competition. This historical example shows how infrastructure investment, rather than just regulation, can transform markets. This approach is just one of many possible strategies to improve the free market.

Under this strategy, sites would be privatised with strict conditions prohibiting sales to Coles, Woolworths, or connected entities, with ACCC oversight preventing shell company acquisition. The fund would operate with strict financial responsibility, prevent supplier price gouging during development, ensure competitive bidding, and measure returns through consumer savings from increased competition.

Without such reforms, Bass residents will continue paying hundreds more yearly for essentials than they would in a competitive market. The goal is creating real competition to benefit suppliers, employees and consumers.

Why Is Now The Time To Act?

With the federal election just weeks away, candidates are listening to voters more closely than ever. Bass is a marginal seat where elections are won and lost by small margins. By showing candidates that Bass voters support Labor's competition policy but demand even stronger action on supermarket competition, we can make this a decisive election issue. Your signature today demonstrates that Bass residents will vote for the strengthening the ACCC's powers and tackling the grocery duopoly that not only undermines the heart of the free market - competition - but harms our entire community.