Anthony Albanese’s nemesis unveils communist-style plan to take control of Coles and Woolworths and slash grocery prices
Former Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather has proposed a $25.1 billion plan to establish publicly-owned supermarkets called Fair Go Grocers, which would involve the government acquiring approximately 200 Coles and Woolworths stores through forced divestiture. The proposal aims to address rising grocery costs affecting Australians, with modelling suggesting it could save households an average of 22 per cent per shop and $3,000 annually. Chandler-Mather argues that public ownership would eliminate profit motives on essential goods, particularly as recent anti-price-gouging laws have reportedly failed to deliver meaningful relief.
Under the plan, the Federal Government would invest $25.1 billion over five years to acquire the supermarket stores and three distribution centres, whilst also building 424 new supermarkets and 10 additional distribution centres across Australia. Fair Go Grocers would offer discounts of up to 30 per cent on essential items including fruit, vegetables, bread, milk and meat. The proposal comes as polling shows nearly 80 per cent of Australians report groceries becoming harder to afford over the past year, and 38 per cent have reported skipping meals or eating less.
- Former Greens MP proposes $25.1bn plan for government-run supermarkets offering 30% discounts.
- Modelling suggests households could save $3,000 annually through public ownership model.
- Proposal aims to tackle rising grocery costs affecting majority of Australians.
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Australia's grocery prices have become a major cost-of-living concern for many households over the past year. Polling suggests nearly 80 per cent of Australians say groceries have become harder to afford, with some reporting they have skipped meals or eaten less because of the cost.
Max Chandler-Mather is a former Greens member of parliament who has proposed publicly-owned supermarkets called Fair Go Grocers to address the issue. Under the plan, the Federal Government would spend $25.1 billion acquiring approximately 200 existing Coles and Woolworths stores, alongside building hundreds of new supermarkets nationwide.
The proposal reflects an ongoing debate about how to tackle high grocery prices in Australia. Chandler-Mather argues that government ownership would remove profit incentives from essential food items, though public ownership of supermarkets has not been a feature of Australia's retail landscape. The idea emerges as existing anti-price-gouging measures have not delivered meaningful relief to shoppers.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Food is an essential good where market forces have demonstrably failed, with nearly 80 per cent of Australians reporting unaffordable groceries whilst the Coles-Woolworths duopoly has resisted meaningful price relief. Public ownership of basic services has precedent in healthcare and education, and eliminating profit motives from essential items could deliver the promised 22 per cent savings and address a cost-of-living crisis affecting millions of households. Market-based solutions have proven insufficient, justifying structural intervention to ensure food security for all Australians.
The case against
The core problem is market concentration rather than ownership structure, which could be addressed through strengthened competition law and supporting new retailers to break the duopoly, avoiding a $25.1 billion public expenditure with unproven efficiency outcomes. Government-run supermarket chains risk becoming politically influenced and less responsive than private competitors, whilst forced divestiture raises concerns about property rights and sets a concerning precedent for state acquisitions of businesses. The state should focus on enabling competitive markets rather than replacing private enterprise with government operations, which have often proved inefficient in practice.