Media Release

AUSTRALIAN Party Federal Leader Bob Katter has welcomed signals from Australia’s competition watchdog "at long last" that there will be a tougher approach to potential anti-competitive behaviour by the supermarket giants.

The Federal Member for Kennedy said newly-installed Australian Competition and Consumer Commission chief Rod Sims’ warnings to Coles or Woolworths against using their market power to drive down prices to farmers, whilst at the same time maintaining prices to consumers, would "provide some breathing space for the rest of Australia".

"All Mr Sims’ predecessor seemed to do was to defend the supermarket giants’ position," said Mr Katter.

"But whether it will simply be more rhetoric... we will hold our judgement."

Mr Katter said he had seen some of Mr Sims’ work before – including his 2009 report on North West Queensland’s future energy needs – and was impressed.

"Mr Sims’ comments about the supermarkets’ significant market share are very welcome," said Mr Katter.

"There wouldn’t be a person in this country with a brain who is not concerned about the ramping up of market share by the two major supermarkets."