THE Australian Small Business and Family Enterprise Ombudsman Kate Carnell says small supermarkets should be able to engage in collective bargaining to remain competitive and viable.

The Ombudsman has written to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) in support of a proposal by Co-Operative Supermarkets Australia, to participate in collective bargaining to help small businesses compete with the major supermarkets.

“Australia’s supermarket industry is in the midst of a long-running price war and that’s hurting small businesses,” Ms Carnell said.

“It’s nearly impossible for smaller players, with limited market share and purchasing power, to compete.

“The industry is dominated by Woolworths Group (34%), Coles Group (27%) and Aldi (11%) collectively owning more than 70 percent of the market share.

“While other multinationals such as Costco, Kaufland and Amazon may dilute market concentration, Coles and Woolworths will likely continue to drop prices to remain competitive.

“My office has been assisting a number of small businesses that have been subjected to predatory tactics used by large supermarket operators to financially squeeze their small suppliers.

“Collective bargaining is a game-changer for small supermarkets and businesses in the grocery supply chain because it strengthens their purchasing power.

“It would also contribute significantly to supply chain diversification, allowing small and medium manufacturers and growers to explore new markets while also promoting their sustainability and growth in domestic production, particularly in regional Australia.    

“This initiative will help keep local shopping centres viable. If the supermarket closes, the whole shopping centre is likely to go as well.”

www.asbfeo.gov.au

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THE Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee is marking 30 years of operation with the presentation if its Annual report of Committee activities for 2018-2019.

Committee chair Andrew Hastie said the importance of the committee has increased over the years, and that this is set to continue in future.

"The committee provides a collaborative, classified space for Members from both sides of politics to come together to examine draft national security legislation in a detailed manner," Mr Hastie said.

"Our oversight of the national intelligence community ensures that intelligence agencies remain accountable to the Australian Parliament and through the parliament, to the Australian public.

"Committee work is an important part of the Westminster tradition, and so the Committee regards its independence and oversight as essential to good democratic governance."

The report reflects on the evolution of the committee, the achievement of major milestones and looks forward to possible future developments.

The committee’s role and place within the national security architecture has changed considerably since the first Parliamentary Joint Committee on the Australian Security Intelligence Organisation was appointed in 1988 to provide some oversight of ASIO.

Over the years, the committee’s oversight responsibilities have matured to encompass most of the national intelligence community, including the completion of annual reviews of the administration and expenditure of intelligence agencies.

The committee has also developed substantial responsibilities in refining national security legislation to build bipartisan consensus in Australia’s national interest.

Further information on the inquiry can be obtained from the Committee’s website.

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LEADING advocates for financial industry reform, Maurice Blackburn Lawyers has welcomed ASIC’s announcement it will heed the recommendation of the Hayne Royal Commission to ban cold call telephone sales of life insurance and consumer credit insurance.

Maurice Blackburn principal, Josh Mennen said the Royal Commission revealed many people have been taken advantage of by unsolicited telephone calls from financial companies pushing unsuitable products.

“This is an important step by ASIC in faithfully implementing Commissioner Hayne’s recommendations and will help protect the vulnerable members of our community from unscrupulous product spruiking by banks and insurers eager to sell their own in-house products.

“However, the hawking prohibitions apply only to unsolicited telephone calls and meetings, and do not apply to other unsolicited communications,” Mr Mennen said.

“More work needs to be done to address digital-era communications, such as email spamming, brochures or digitally-targeted media advertisements.

“There is also a need for more robust requirements on financial institutions to report to customers and the regulator as to how they obtain and use personal information,” Mr Mennen said.

“Over the years, Maurice Blackburn has seen how banks and large wealth managers have systematically targeted existing customers through unsolicited approaches in an effort to cross-sell their insurance and other financial services.  

“As shown by the Royal Commission, this has too often resulted in consumers, including many of our clients, taking out inappropriate or unnecessary cover at significant personal cost,” Mr Mennen said.

“Ridding the industry of this type of underhanded practice will be a key step in stopping the exploitation of people’s understandable desire to protect their financial future.”

The ASIC ban on unsolicited insurance telephone sales will take effect from mid-January next year.

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AFTER 60 years of the Antarctic Treaty, the future of the region is the focus of an international assembly to manage the issues affecting the global asset for the future.

The Chair of Parliament’s Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital and External Territories, Keith Pitt MP, along with committee member, Warren Snowdon MP, are representing the committee at the first ever Antarctic Parliamentarians Assembly in London.

The event has brought together parliamentarians from across the 54 signatories to the Treaty.

Mr Pitt said the Assembly was an important opportunity for Parliamentarians to discuss how challenges facing Antarctica could be addressed.

“Some of the topics to be discussed include whether Antarctica can be future proofed, as well as tourism in Antarctica, and whether the presence of people can support environmental protection,” Mr Pitt said.

“Australia was one of the 12 original signatories of the Antarctic Treaty and just this week the Australian Government has announced a $58.8 million commitment to strengthen our scientific and environmental leadership in Antarctica.”

Parliamentarians from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Italy, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Turkey, United Kingdom and Ukraine attended the Assembly.

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