Opposition Proposes Legislation to Tackle Grocery Oligopoly

In an effort to tackle market concentration and anti-competitive practices in Australia’s grocery sector, National’s Leader David Littleproud and Shadow Treasurer Angus Taylor announced new legislative initiatives in Parliament on Nov. 4. Littleproud, who is also the shadow agriculture minister, has proposed a new Bill to enhance consumer protections and divestiture powers, while Taylor has suggested amendments to the Competition and Consumer Act focusing on divestiture orders as a remedy for breaches. A divestiture order is a court order that forces a corporation to reduce its power in a market or its share of that market. Both initiatives aim to improve market fairness and accountability, reflecting a growing concern among lawmakers regarding the influence of major supermarket chains—Coles and Woolworths—on consumers and farmers alike....