Govt ‘asleep at the wheel’: Albanese ‘too slow to act’ on supermarkets

Nationals Leader David Littleproud has slammed the Albanese government for being “asleep at the wheel” as they were “too slow to act” on supermarkets ripping off consumers. Australians are being ripped off by banks, energy companies, airlines and supermarkets, according to findings in a report by former ACCC boss Allan Fels. There are calls for the government to step in with better protections to stop the near-constant exploitation. “It validates everything the Nationals have been saying,” Mr Littleproud told Sky News Australia. “We saw blatant evidence of this, particularly at the supermarkets, only over the last six to 12 months. “We saw meat prices at the farm gate drop by 60 to 70 per cent, but only drop at the checkout by eight per cent, and that was clearly evident the supermarkets were taking advantage of a falling market that fell off a cliff and not passing onto consumers. “I think it’s time we said the government were too slow to act – I gave them every opportunity, I gave them 12 months, to say bring forward all your reviews, let’s get this over and done with. “We needed the ACCC when there was clear evidence … that we should’ve had the ACCC investigate the supermarkets and then prosecute the supermarkets if they could’ve found that evidence.” “Unfortunately, the government has been asleep at the wheel.”