NEW SUPERCOMPLAINTS POLICY WILL SUPERCHARGE COMPETITION

MADELEINE KING MP.
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5 years ago
NEW SUPERCOMPLAINTS POLICY WILL SUPERCHARGE COMPETITION
MADELEINE KING MP
Major consumer and small business advocacy groups will be empowered to make ‘supercomplaints’ about consumer rip-offs, under Labor’s latest policy to support competition and small business.
 
Many markets are heavily concentrated, and in recent years some of the biggest names in Australian business have been found to have engaged in anti-competitive and anti-consumer conduct. 
 
Under Labor, selected peak consumer groups would be empowered to make a supercomplaint to the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission. This might involve issues such as energy pricing, credit card surcharges, misleading labelling or unfair terms in small business contracts. 
 
A supercomplaint will require an investigation and public response from the watchdog, with a limited response time allowing advocates to maintain pressure for action. In the United Kingdom, the competition watchdog must respond to supercomplaints within 90 days.
 
Instead of continuing to back millionaires and multinationals, Scott Morrison and his chaotic Coalition should adopt Labor’s measure to crack down on shonks and sharks and make our economy more competitive.
Consumer Affairs