Queensland’s new Food Farmers’ Commissioner has laid down the gauntlet to the major supermarkets on his first day on the job vowing to clamp down on “mafia tactics” against farmers.
Former Agforce CEO Charles Burke has been announced as the interim commissioner whose role will be to report behaviours and business practices that hurt farmers and consumers, as well as mediating disputes confidentially.
“I’ll be going just as hard and fast as I possibly can,” Mr Burke said.
“I want to get in place a system whereby people can voice their concerns and raise awareness of potential problems, and I need to do that as quickly as possible.”
The Supermarket Select Committee held hearings in Bundaberg, Cairns, and Brisbane. (ABC Western Qld: Hannah Walsh)
The role was among eight recommendations from Queensland’s parliamentary inquiry into supermarket pricing which heard allegations of “mafia tactics” and price gouging.
“Nothing is surprising. Nothing is new. Some of these issues have been in our line of sight for many, many years,” Mr Burke said.
“The challenge now is that it’s more open and there’s more publicity about it and more understanding of it.”
Supermarket scrutiny
Earlier this week, the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) launched legal action against Coles and Woolworths alleging the supermarket giants breached consumer law by misleading consumers through discount pricing claims on hundreds of products.
The new commissioner will not have the authority to take action against major supermarkets but will liaise with the ACCC and other institutions.
Mark Furner said the commissioner’s role was one of eight recommendations adopted by government. (ABC News: Johanna Marie)
Queensland’s Minister for Agricultural Industry Development Mark Furner said growers would be able to raise complaints anonymously with the commissioner.
“That will be one of the first port of calls that Charles will be engaging with Woolworths and Coles, and no doubt the other retailers, but also the [whole] sector of agriculture … to form that relationship to investigate,” Mr Furner said.
“You need that situation where anonymity can be provided where farmers can have that voice.
“I don’t think there’ll be any farmer out there that’s not willing to come forward and provide information.”
Supermarket Pricing Select Committee chair Tom Smith said the inquiry was about transparency.
“[With] a punnet of cherry tomatoes being purchased for $0.70 off the farm gate and then being gouged at $3 on the shelves, consumers need to know that story,” he said.
“They need to know why is it that the large supermarkets are gouging our farmers.”
The future of the role
The $300,000 interim position will be for 12 months.
Mr Burke said taxpayers would also be paying for a small team of support staff.
“In the scheme of things that budget won’t be overly onerous if we can affect significant change,” he said.
Charles Burke with minister Mark Furner, Mark Pressler, Tom Smith MP, and Dale Hollis. (ABC News: Johanna Marie)
Dale Hollis from the Bundaberg Ag-Food and Fibre Alliance hoped the role could expand in the future to help farmers better negotiate with energy and water providers.
“There’s something like 145 different crops grown in this region ranging from snow peas to cut flowers to sugar cane and everything in between,” Mr Hollis said.
“[We’re] looking forward to working with [the commissioner] on actually expanding.”
