Tuesday, 20 February 2024

Supermarket prices

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:10): (415) My question today is to the Minister for Regional Development. Last night I think many of us here watched what was a scathing indictment of Coles and Woolworths on ABC’s Four Corners, showing just how they bully and strongarm their local competitors to maintain their market dominance while choking the margins of farmers and producers. In regional areas this often means that the only available supermarket option is a Coles or Woolies, exposing people to the worst instances of price gouging. Minister, how many Coles or Woolworths in regional Victoria have benefited from special treatment or funding from government programs such as the Investment Fast-Track Fund or the Regional Infrastructure Fund?

Gayle TIERNEY (Western Victoria – Minister for Skills and TAFE, Minister for Regional Development) (12:11): President, I defer to your knowledge on this, but I am unclear as to whether that has anything much to do with the portfolio of regional development.

The PRESIDENT: I would envisage that the funds are administered by the minister’s department. Can you repeat the two funds?

Aiv Puglielli: Sure. The two funds are the Investment Fast-Track Fund and the Regional Infrastructure Fund – or any other funds.

The PRESIDENT: The question is: have the two supermarket chains received any funding from those two funds?

Gayle TIERNEY: Again, I do not believe that this pertains to my portfolio. Regardless, I am happy to take that on board and see whether I can get some information to you.

Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:12): Thank you, Minister. I understand these things do straddle multiple portfolios, but I have named specific funds from the regional development portfolio. As I am sure many will understand, what we saw last night went to air and has distressed many in the community, and I think many are eager to know that their state government is on the side of local communities and local producers and farmers and not the side of price-gouging Coles and Woolies. As we saw last night, farmers are particularly hurting from the profiteering practices of Coles and Woolworths, so what are you doing by way of regional development investment to support farmers in order to prevent them from leaving the industry due to Coles and Woolies rejecting their products and slashing their margins?

The PRESIDENT: The minister can answer questions as far as her responsibility for government administration goes, and I cannot see how that supplementary falls inside her administration. I am mindful the substantive question is on funds that Mr Puglielli believes are administered by the minister, but the minister seems to reject her responsibility for those funds. I appreciate that, Minister, you will get back to Mr Puglielli, and the answer might be that you are not responsible for the funds. I cannot put the supplementary. It is not her administration.

Samantha Ratnam: On a point of order, President, I am just seeking clarity on that ruling, given the question went to what the minister is doing to support farmers in the regions, which would pertain to the government’s responsibility. I do not understand how that would not pertain to the minister’s responsibility. Aren’t farmers within the minister for regional Victoria’s purview?

The PRESIDENT: My concern is part of the minister’s responsibility is not the two major supermarket chains, and that is the crux of the question as far as what it pertains to goes. I am comfortable Mr Puglielli believes that those funds he mentioned in the substantive question come under the minister’s department’s responsibilities. The minister does not believe that, but she has committed to come back. The answer may be comprehensive, or it may be ‘It doesn’t come under my responsibility.’ So I am not going to put the supplementary.