Category: Australian News

A re-elected Albanese Labor Government will crack down on price gouging by supermarkets because Australian families deserve fair prices for their groceries.

Australians shouldn’t be treated like mugs at the checkout – that’s why Labor will make supermarket price gouging illegal.

This is another cost-of-living relief measure the Albanese Government is taking – along with tax cuts for every tax payer, energy bill relief and cheaper medicines. 

It is unfair and un-Australian for supermarkets to exploit consumers by inflating prices and profits when they do not face enough competition. 

A re-elected Labor Government will confront price gouging to fix a key gap in Australia’s competition and consumer protection framework.

Laws to protect consumers from companies abusing their market power through excessive pricing are in place in the European Union, United Kingdom and over 30 states in the US in particular circumstances.  

We want Australians to have these protections.

As a first step, Labor will implement the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission’s (ACCC) supermarket inquiry report recommendations that will improve transparency about prices, price trends and promotions, and loyalty programs. 

This includes mandatory and harmonised minimum information and notification requirements about prices and changes in product sizes for both consumers and fresh produce providers. 

We will establish a taskforce to provide advice on introducing an excessive pricing regime for supermarkets that would be policed by the ACCC.

This advice will consider other countries’ laws and options suitable for Australia.

The taskforce will include Treasury, the ACCC and other market and regulatory experts. It will consult on the approach and report to the Government within six months with a way forward on this regime.

While Australia does have protections that prevent companies abusing their market power, unlike other countries these laws do not prohibit excessive pricing. Our reforms will ensure the ACCC can investigate a broader range of concerning pricing practices by supermarkets with market power.

This is about holding big business to account, not the staff working behind the checkout.

Those workers are facing the same pressures as every Australian, are just doing their jobs, and deserve safety and respect.

Labor is determined for Australians to get a better deal at the checkout.

That’s why we:

• Have made the Food and Grocery Code mandatory from 1 April 2025
• Are tackling shrinkflation by strengthening the Unit Pricing Code and introducing penalties for breaches
• Have increased resourcing for the ACCC to undertake enforcement and increased penalties for anti-competitive conduct. 

While Labor is laser focused on helping families manage cost of living pressures caused by the world-wide inflation surge, the Coalition has opposed every cost-of-living measure the Government has proposed. 

Last year, they voted against fairness for families and farmers and wouldn’t back Labor’s bill that warned supermarkets we were serious about cracking down on dodgy behaviour.

And they will introduce laws to make every taxpayer pay more income tax, hurting Australians’ hip pockets even more.

Peter Dutton’s $350 billion in cuts will hit regulators, like the ACCC, making it easier for conduct that hurts Australians to go unchecked.

Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese:

“Labor will make price gouging by supermarkets illegal.

“Because Australian families deserve a fair price at the checkout and Australian farmers deserve a fair price for their goods.”

Treasurer Jim Chalmers:

“Labor is making sure Australians aren’t being treated like mugs.
 
“We’re delivering a better deal for families at the checkout and a better deal for farmers at the farm gate. 
 
“Our plan helps deliver more competition, fairer prices and better deals for Australians.
 
“The biggest threat to household budgets is Peter Dutton. He will jack up taxes and cut essential services and make Australians worse off.”

Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Andrew Leigh:
 
“A fair market needs fair rules. When competition is weak, prices go up and families pay the cost. 

“It’s time Australians had the same protections from excessive pricing as consumers overseas.”

The Australian Government is providing further support for communities impacted by the flooding in Western Queensland – activating the Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment (AGDRP).

The payment will be available for eligible resident in the Barcoo, Bulloo, Longreach, Paroo, Quilpie and Winton Local Government Areas – providing further support for these communities.

This event has impacted people in different ways.

The Australian Government is working closely with the Queensland Government to ensure that supports are available in response to the different challenges that people have experienced.

Commonwealth supports

1. If a person has suffered the most serious impacts including major damage to their home, serious injury, or loss of a loved one as a result of severe weather, they may be eligible for the AGDRP which offers residents $1,000 per eligible adult and $400 per eligible child.

Residents can check their eligibility for the AGDRP on the Services Australia Website.

Claims for the AGDRP will open at 2pm local time on Tuesday, 1 April 2025.

The quickest way to claim is online through myGov, or via the myGov app. If people need help to claim, they can call the Australian Government Emergency Information Line on 180 22 66.

To change or pause Centrelink debt repayments, affected people can do so online or in the mobile app (through the Money you owe service), or they can call 1800 076 072.

Joint Commonwealth-State supports

1. If a person lost essential services such as power, gas, water or sewerage for more than 5 days, they may be eligible for the Essential Services Hardship Assistance: a payment of between $150 – $750 depending on household size.
2. If a person needs help to cover the costs of emergency essentials like food clothing and medicine, they may be eligible for the Emergency Hardship Assistance: a payment of between $180 – $900 depending on household size.
3. If a person lost essential household contents like bed linen or white goods, they may be eligible for the Essential Household Contents Grant: a payment of between $1,765 – $5,300 depending on household size.
4. If a person’s home has become structurally unsafe to live in, they may be eligible for the Structural Assistance Grant: uninsured, low income owner occupiers can receive up to $80,000 to help repair home to make it safe, secure and habitable.

These payments are administered by the Queensland Government and people can check their eligibility on the Queensland Government Website.

As additional information about impacts becomes available, the government will consider other locations.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese

“At the worst of times we see the best of the Australian character, and we’re seeing that again in Queensland.

“These are tough times but Queenslanders are tougher. The stock losses in these communities will be particularly distressing.

 “We’ve got their back, which is why we’re rolling out support now to help communities get through these floods”.

Minister for Government Services Katy Gallagher

“The government is working hard to support impacted communities in western Queensland during this difficult time.

“The Australian Government Disaster Recovery Payment will help eligible residents who have experienced severe impacts like major damage to their home.

“Services Australia staff are well practiced in supporting the community during times of emergency and will work round the clock to process claims as quickly as possible.

“I encourage people in the impacted areas to check their eligibility for payments on Services Australia’s website.”

Minister for Emergency Management Jenny McAllister

“We know the current flooding in western Queensland has impacted people in different ways. We’re working closely with the Queensland Government to ensure that there are a range of payments available to meet different needs.  

“As we are receiving information about impacts, we are acting quickly to make financial assistance available for people and families who need it.

“We will continue working hand in glove with the Queensland Government to support impacted communities through this event and into recovery.”

Australia will provide an initial $2 million to Myanmar through the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) for immediate humanitarian relief following Friday’s magnitude 7.7 earthquake.

Our thoughts are with everyone affected by this devastating event, which only adds to an already-dire humanitarian situation in Myanmar.

It has caused extensive damage to infrastructure and loss of life in Mandalay and Nay Pyi Taw, as well as in surrounding regions, with hospitals overwhelmed. Neighbouring countries, including Thailand, have also been impacted.

Australia’s support will assist ICRC to carry out immediate lifesaving support including to address emergency medical needs.

Australia also welcomes the release of US$5 million from the UN Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to support urgent needs such as shelter, food and water. Australia is a longstanding donor to the CERF.

The ongoing crisis in Myanmar is a major threat to stability in our region. Australia continues to provide support in response to the worsening humanitarian situation.

Australia does not provide any direct funding to the military regime and takes proactive steps to ensure our assistance does not legitimise the military regime in Myanmar.

Campaigning today in the Greens’ target seat of Macnamara, the Australian Greens have said Greens pressure works after Labor adopted the Greens’ plan to make supermarket price-gouging illegal. 

The move comes after Labor also adopted the Greens’ plan to triple the bulk-billing incentive for GPs, with the Greens saying a minority Parliament will see a number of other Greens policies implemented.

Last year the Greens introduced a bill to stop supermarket price gouging, which both Labor and the Liberals voted against in October. The Greens also announced a widely-reported election plan to make price-gouging illegal earlier this month. 

The Greens have said if the Prime Minister is looking for some more homework to copy, he should get dental and mental health into Medicare, wipe all student debt, cap rent increases, and stop new coal and gas and native forest logging.

After returning from yesterday’s ‘Keep Dutton Out’ rally in Queensland, Greens Leader Adam Bandt will today be campaigning in the party’s target seat of Macnamara in inner-city Melbourne with candidate Sonya Semmens, Victorian Greens Senator Steph Hodgins-May and Wills candidate Samantha Ratnam.

The Greens’ plan to make supermarket price gouging illegal has been incredibly popular in Wills and Macnamara, and the Greens will be doorknocking there today to say today’s announcement is proof the Greens get Labor to act.

The Greens came within 300 votes of winning the Macnamara at the 2022 election. Last election Macnamara saw a 5.5% swing to the Greens and the party has already knocked on more than 65,000 doors this campaign. 

Macnamara has one of the highest proportions of renting households in the country. 51.5 per cent of households are rented and a further 24 per cent have a mortgage, which means 3 in 4 households in the electorate are being heavily impacted by the rental and housing crisis. 

In addition to Macnamara, the Greens are targeting Wills (VIC), Richmond (NSW), Sturt (SA) and Perth (WA). The party is also seeking to return its four Lower House MPs and all its Senators who are up for re-election. 

Greens Leader, Adam Bandt MP:

“Greens pressure works. After adopting most of our plan to see the GP for free, Labor has now followed the Greens’ plan to make supermarket price gouging illegal.

“The Greens get Labor to act. If Labor had voted for our bill last year shoppers would have cheaper groceries already, but this move is better late than never.

“The Greens are leading the way this election, and with a minority Parliament coming, we can keep Dutton out and get Labor to get dental and mental health into Medicare, wipe all student debt, cap rent increases, and stop new coal and gas.

“With more Greens MPs in Parliament, like Sonya Semmens in Macnamara and Samantha Ratnam in Wills, we can keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.

“This election, we can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result.

“Right now, one in three big corporations pays zero tax. We should tax big corporations and billionaires to fund dental into Medicare, cap rent increases and lower mortgages, bring back free GPs and take strong climate action.

“Last minority government the Greens got dental into Medicare for kids, and now we want to get it for everyone.

“If you want change, the first step is to vote for it.

Greens economic justice spokesperson, Senator Nick McKim:

“While Mr Albanese is browsing the Greens’ website looking for policy ideas, he should also copy and paste our plan to get dental into Medicare and end native forest logging.

“Because the Greens don’t take donations from the supermarket corporations, we have led the charge on taking on the duopoly.

“Our leadership and pressure has led to the Nationals and Liberals supporting supermarket divestiture and now Labor is backing our plan to make price gouging illegal.”

Greens candidate for Macnamara, Sonya Semmens:

“In Macnamara more than half the households are renting and they’ve been smashed by the cost of living crisis. 

“This election, nothing changes unless your vote does.

“In a minority government, the Greens will keep Dutton out and get Labor to act on housing, cost of living and the climate crisis.”

Australia will provide a further $11 million in lifesaving humanitarian assistance for civilians in Gaza, and an additional $15 million in critical support for people affected by humanitarian crises in Myanmar and Afghanistan.

The additional funding to Gaza will address urgent needs, including healthcare, food and water.

The humanitarian situation in Gaza remains dire, and Australia reiterates calls for sustained, unimpeded aid to those who desperately need it.

Additional assistance will be provided to those impacted by rapidly escalating humanitarian crises. It includes:

• $7 million in lifesaving food assistance for Rohingya refugees who have fled Myanmar, as well as their host communities in Bangladesh. More than one million Rohingyas in Bangladesh depend on humanitarian support, with no legal status or right to work.
• $3 million in lifesaving assistance to provide food, health, shelter and protection support for displaced people on the Thai-Myanmar border.
• An additional $5 million will also be provided to enable United Nations partners to deliver services for Afghan women and girls that address critical sexual and reproductive health needs, gender-based violence and displacement.

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong:

“Helping others in crisis reflects Australian values, but also supports our interests in a peaceful, stable world. Australia’s contribution will provide lifesaving assistance to people enduring immense suffering.
“Australia is engaging diplomatically as part of the international call for all parties to return to the ceasefire and hostage deal in Gaza. We continue to press for the protection of civilians, the release of hostages and unimpeded and sustained humanitarian aid.

“Humanitarian needs have increased twenty-fold since the Myanmar coup. We call on the military regime to prioritise civilian safety and immediately cease violence and ensure unhindered and safe humanitarian access across the country.

“Australia is steadfast in its support for Afghan women and girls, who have shown incredible courage in the face of the Taliban’s systematic human rights violations and abuses.”

Minister for International Development and the Pacific and Minister for Defence Industry and Capability Delivery, the Hon Pat Conroy MP:

“Humanitarian crises contribute to regional instability and global insecurity.

“Australia is providing lifesaving healthcare and assistance for civilians in need, as part of an international effort to reduce the devastating human toll of the Israel-Gaza conflict.

“Protection for women and girls in humanitarian emergencies is a central pillar of the Humanitarian Policy we released in 2024. We know the situation under the Taliban is particularly egregious and we are proud to be supporting the provision of critical health services to Afghan women and girls.

“We will continue to play our part to support people in humanitarian need, both in our region and globally.”

Greens will keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.

The Greens will today kick off their biggest ever national campaign with a record number of Greens representatives around the country ready to hit the campaign trail.

With the country heading for a minority government, the Greens have ruled out supporting Peter Dutton to form government but will get Labor to take urgent action on the cost of living, the rental and housing crisis and the climate crisis.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt will today reiterate that keeping Dutton out is not enough, as Labor will not take real action on cost of living and climate without pressure from the Greens.

The Greens have not yet announced their final formal list of priorities for minority government, but they have said they will seek action on housing, health and other cost of living issues, as well as ending native forest logging and stopping new coal and gas mines. The Greens’ ‘Robin Hood reforms’ will fund these policies by taxing big corporations and billionaires.

Last time there was a minority government, the Greens got dental into Medicare for kids. This election, Labor has already adopted much of the Greens ‘GP for free’ policy and partially wiping student debt, and the Greens say their other policies are achievable in minority government as well. 

The Greens are targeting five House of Representatives seats around the country in addition to the four currently held by the party, and are seeking to return all Senators up for re-election.

The Greens’ priority target seats are Wills and Macnamara (VIC) held by Peter Khalil and Josh Burns respectively; Richmond (NSW) held by Justine Eliot, Sturt (SA) held by James Stevens and Perth (WA) held by Patrick Gormon.

Greens Leader Adam Bandt MP:

“With a minority government predicted, the Greens will keep Dutton out and get Labor to act.

“This election, we can’t keep voting for the same two parties and expecting a different result.

“Right now, one in three big corporations pays zero tax. We should tax big corporations and billionaires to fund dental into Medicare, cap rent increases and lower mortgages, bring back free GPs and take strong climate action.

“Last minority government the Greens got dental into Medicare for kids, and now we want to get it for everyone.

“If you want change, the first step is to vote for it.”

BACKGROUND: GREENS TARGET SEATS

Wills

• Samantha Ratnam resigned from her position as Victorian Greens Leader to contest the seat of Wills
• Redistribution approximately halved the ALP’s margin against the Greens: Poll Bludger estimated 4.2% and the ABC’s Antony Green estimated 4.6%. By way of comparison, Max Chandler-Mather and Adam Bandt achieved swings of more than 10% when they first won Griffith and Melbourne respectively.

Macnamara

• Candidate is Sonya Semmens, a non profit communications expert and the Greens’ previous candidate for the seat of Higgins
• The Greens came within 300 votes of winning the seat of Macnamara at the 2022 election
• One of the highest proportions of renting households in the country: 51.5% of households are rented and a further 24% of households have a mortgage – that’s 75% of the electorate being heavily impacted by the rental and housing crisis

Richmond

• Candidate is comedian and long term resident Mandy Nolan
• A swing of less than 1.8% required
• Extremely high level of rental stress – 82.7% of households in rental stress as of February 2025

Sturt

• Currently held by Liberal James Stevens on a razor thin margin of 1% against ALP in 2022
• Greens candidate Katie McCusker ran in Sturt in 2022 as well as the Dunstan by-election and in both contests achieved a swing of more than 5%. Both major parties recorded a negative swing at the Dunstan by-election

Perth

• Greens candidate Sophie Greer, a local councillor and public health expert would need an 8.4% swing to unseat the ALP’s Patrick Gorman
• More than 40% of the electorate is rented and the WA election means many issues plaguing the state, such as the hospital and healthcare crisis, are at the forefront of people’s minds

The Albanese Labor Government has passed legislation that will allow eligible Australians to apply for easier passage through US airports.

The United States’ Global Entry Program provides an avenue for eligible citizens of trusted partner countries to access expedited clearance processes on arrival in the US.

This is a mark of the closeness of the relationship and trust between Australia and the US and will be welcomed by Australian tourists, business leaders and corporate travellers who will be able to join faster entry lanes when they arrive in the US.

This program is voluntary, and only available for pre-approved, low-risk travellers who meet the strict eligibility criteria as set out by the US. Both Australia and the US will conduct background checks on Australian applicants.

The Global Entry Program membership also opens up eligibility to TSA Pre-Check program, making travel within the US a much simpler process.

A limited number of Australian citizens have been able to apply for Global Entry Program from January this year under phase one, which is now closed. The passage of this Bill will pave the way for the expansion of the program to all eligible Australians with phase two expected to commence in the second half of the year.

Minister for Home Affairs, Tony Burke MP

“The Albanese Government has done the work to ensure Australia’s entry into the United States’ Global Entry Program. It was first promised when Peter Dutton was Home Affairs Minister but was never delivered by the former government.

“This means shorter queues for Australian business travellers so they can spend their time working and building business links rather than waiting in line.”

Minister for Foreign Affairs, Senator the Hon Penny Wong

“Expansion of the Global Entry Program is a testament to the closeness and friendship between our people.

“I pay tribute to Ambassador Rudd who has been the driving force behind Australia’s entry into this program, six years after it was first announced by the former Government.

“This will make travel easier for eligible Australians and will continue to grow the strong commercial ties between Australia and the United States.”

Despite 9 women already killed by violence in Australia this year according to the Counting Dead Women Australia researchers of Destroy The Joint, Labor’s latest budget leaves frontline services underfunded.

Senator Larissa Waters, Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women:

“We are still facing an epidemic of men’s violence against women, yet Government funding is not matching the urgency required.

“The pittance added to women’s safety in last night’s budget won’t rectify the massive funding shortfall for frontline services.

“Where was the serious investment to keep women safe?

“Frontline FDSV services simply do not have enough funding to cope with increasing demand and are still being forced to turn women away.

“Because of the funding shortfall, so many women escaping violence still can’t access crisis or long term affordable housing, legal advice or other supports, and can’t begin to recover.

“Last night’s budget was a missed opportunity for Labor to give full funding to frontline FDV services and properly fund specialist sexual violence services.

“Renewed national partnership agreements for funding to the states and territories are welcome, but the amount falls short of what is needed to meet demand.

“We can not keep letting women keep being turned away back to violence, or homelessness.

“More Greens in parliament means we can force Labor to act on ending the FDSV epidemic, and keep Dutton out. The LNP’s track record on women speaks for itself.”

A new report shows that logging the promised Great Koala National Park is set to destroy more than 12 thousand hectares of koala habitat since the election of the NSW Labor Government in 2023. 

Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said:

“The failure of the Minns Labor Government to deliver the Great Koala National Park has been one of the greatest disappointments over the last two years. This disappointment has turned into white hot pain and anger because of the delay and how extensive the logging has been, and that more is planned over the next 6 months,”

“This will go down as one of the biggest environmental political failures of our time. Never before have we been in this situation, where the very natural environment that is subject to a public pledge of protection is systematically destroyed, it’s a disgrace,”

“Even in the National Party seat of Coffs Harbour, 70% of the community support the creation of the Great Koala National Park. There is absolutely no apparent reason for Labor to delay the announcement of the park, it’s just a political failure,”

“Premier Chris Minns has promised to protect the koalas of NSW from extinction, but right now he is effectively killing koalas with logging. The idea that he will announce the Great Koala National Park after the Forestry Corporation has smashed and grabbed so much koala habitat first is heinous,”

“The delay has caused so much anger and confusion, with renewed fear that the Park will now be further delayed until after the Federal Election. I asked the Minister this week whether that was the case, she denied this, but justified the continued destruction of the Park on the basis that it will be announced ‘soon’. We have been told soon, as we have to witness the destruction for months and months, it is just not good enough,” Ms Higginson said.

The Greens welcome the passage of the Workplace Gender Equality Amendment (Setting Gender Equality Targets) Bill 2024, but it could have done more.

Senator Larissa Waters, Greens Leader in the Senate and spokesperson on Women:

“The Greens welcome this legislation which finally requires the biggest companies to not just identify their gender pay gap, but actually take action to close it.

“Had the Greens amendments passed the bill could have supported far more women in the workforce. 

“Our amendments would have required companies with 100 employees, not just those with over 500, to take action to close their gender pay gap.

“Reporting obligations on the gender pay gap apply to companies that have 100 or more workers, so there was no good reason why this new obligation to act on that data shouldn’t apply to the same cohort.

“We also moved for employers to set actual numerical goals to shrink their gender pay gap rather than simply selecting more nebulous measures.

“Lastly, we moved for the government to stop giving contracts to companies that don’t fully comply with their WGEA obligations, instead of the weak situation where compliance is just one factor to consider in deciding whether to grant a government contract.

“It comes as no surprise that Dutton’s LNP voted against this bill. Their import of Trump’s war on DEI measures has just overlaid on their long history of opposing measures that support women. 

“This is exactly why this election a vote for the Greens has never been more powerful. In a minority government the Greens will force Labor to act on gender equity and to keep Dutton’s destructive policies for women out of our lives.