The cost of food is out of control, but the government has no plan to regulate the supermarkets, introduce price controls and stop supermarket price gouging. Making a submission to the inquiry is a powerful way to tell the Government how the cost of food is affecting you, and to push them to do more to tackle price gouging.
WHY IS THIS IMPORTANT?
The Greens secured this great opportunity for you to have a real say, and get real reform on the cost of living. Parliamentary Inquiries have a proven track record of getting results in Victoria. This is your chance to directly communicate with the Parliament about how the cost of food is affecting you and what you think needs to be done. Your firsthand experiences are invaluable and have the power to make a difference.
HOW CAN YOU TAKE PART?
Making a submission is easy and only takes a few minutes of your time! This guide will help you to ensure you’re sharing your experience whilst also answering the questions the Legal and Social Issues Committee wants to know.
HERE ARE SOME QUESTIONS TO HELP YOU WITH YOUR SUBMISSION.
1. Tell us about how the cost of food is impacting you.
Are you struggling to pay for your groceries? Have you cut back on the brand or food you used to buy? Are you skipping meals or eating less than you used to? Are you cutting other expenses or putting off regular health appointments such as going to the doctor or dentist due to the cost of food? Are you seeing friends and family less? Are you accessing food relief services frequently or for the first time?
2. Tell us about how this is affecting your physical and mental health.
Are you feeling isolated? Experiencing any kind of distress or sadness? Has there been any impact big or small to your physical health?
3. Are you in poverty or hardship?
Whether prior to the current cost of living or only recently, are you experiencing poverty or hardship and how has the cost of food impacted that?
4. What do you think the government needs to do about it?
What action do you think the government should take to tackle the cost of food and improve access to food?
HERE IS WHAT THE GREENS ARE PROPOSING.
We know the government can step in and regulate groceries to put a stop to supermarket price gouging. We even have a bill before parliament to do just that! We believe that food is essential and the government should step in to make food more affordable by allowing the Essential Services Commission (ESC) to regulate supermarkets. The ESC could set maximum profit margins on certain grocery items. What that means is that supermarkets would be regulated so that essential grocery items have fair prices and aren’t price gouged!
WHERE DO YOU SUBMIT?
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/foodsecurityinquiry
And follow the prompts.
TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE!
With your help we can make this an issue the government cannot ignore! Your submission is more powerful than you think!
We acknowledge that this is a sensitive topic that may bring up feelings of distress. If you or anyone else you know is struggling or is in crisis, resources for help are available at: https://www.mhfa.com.au/resources-support/immediate-help/
