Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Opposition Reply in the Senate, Ministerial Statement on the Economy – 20 November 2024

Speeches

Senator Dean Smith Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Liberal Senator for Western Australia OPPOSITION REPLY IN THE SENATE, MINISTERIAL STATEMENT ON THE ECONOMY  20 November 2024  ***Check against delivery*** Introduction The Australian people were asked to put their trust – and their future – in the hands of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his Labor Government. A future where – in his words – “no-one is held back and no-one is left behind”. This was to be based on a strong economy, where Australians could comfortably afford the cost of living. There would be “cheaper electricity, cheaper childcare, cheaper mortgages” – because Labor had “real, lasting plans” to deliver them. Australians were told to do more than simply vote for a party; they were implored to “Vote for Hope”. What has become of this “better future”? What has become of this hope? Instead, Australians are struggling to weather a cost of living crisis, characterised in many cases by record-breaking struggle and suffering. It is the greatest of many broken promises. The Treasurer, Dr Chalmers, stands before us to paint an optimistic picture of the economy, but the lived experiences of Australian households and businesses tell a very different story. The statistics do not lie, the hardship is there for all to see, and the time for spin is over – this Labor Government must confront the reality of its own failures. State of the Economy The Treasurer’s attempted to project his usual calm and confidence today, pointing to global economic pressures as the root of our challenges. He speaks of a “strong recovery” and “record low unemployment,” but I must ask, Dr Chalmers: Where is this recovery being felt? Certainly not in the homes of everyday Australians, as they grapple with the highest inflation in a generation and stagnant wages. The evidence is clear: Australians are worse off now than they were two and a half years ago. Disposable incomes fell by 8.7% per capita between March 2022 and June 2024 – the steepest drop across all OECD nations. Nearly 94% of Australians surveyed in a recent committee study experienced cost of living pressures. More than 90% were forced to re-prioritise their spending or go without essentials. These are not just statistics – they are proof of an ongoing struggle. While the Treasurer praises the Government’s actions, the truth is Labor’s fiscal policies have actively worsened the inflation crisis. Higher spending outlined in the 2022–23 October Budget, the 2023–24 Budget, and subsequent fiscal projections, have intensified inflationary pressures. This mismanagement has left the Reserve Bank of Australia to keep interest rates higher for longer, compounding the pain for mortgage holders. Meanwhile, other developed nations – including the United States, the United Kingdom, and New Zealand – have already begun cutting interest rates. Labor policy has left Australia in an 18-month per capita recession, with annual economic growth stagnating at just 1.5% – which, apart from the pandemic, is the weakest since the early 1990s. Inflation may have eased slightly, but rental prices have surged by 6.7% annually, and food prices remain high at 3.3%. Even the Government’s much-touted Energy Bill Relief Fund has proven to be nothing more than a band-aid, offering temporary relief but failing to address the underlying situation. Electricity prices may have decreased by 17.3% in the September quarter, but Australians know that subsidies won’t last forever. The IMF predicts Australia’s headline inflation will still be at 3.6% in 2025—nearly a full percentage point above the next highest country in the developed world. And the RBA has forecast that underlying inflation won’t return to its target range until late 2025, with the midpoint not expected until 2026. Officials reconfirmed this to me during Senate Estimates just a couple of weeks ago. The WA Experience I focus briefly on the economic experience of Western Australians as a case study – not only because I am a Senator for that state, but because it has set records for all the wrong reasons under Labor. Last financial year, one thousand WA businesses failed, unable to weather the Government’s twin cost of living and cost of doing business crises. That is double the number of insolvencies recorded during the 2008 Global Financial Crisis. Western Australians are spending an extra 1 billion a year on mortgage repayments – money which, at best, cannot be spent to support the wider economy and, at worst, is forcing families make decisions like skipping meals. That, of course, is if they can make their repayments at all. WA has the second highest rate of mortgage arrears in the nation at 0.62%, according to data I obtained from the Reserve Bank – although the number of people falling behind has also surged nationally. These are also higher rates on larger loans, with the ABS confirming the average loan in Western Australia jumped 36% – or $146,800 – since the low-interest rate environment at the beginning of the pandemic. When I started tracking ABS figures on this mid-year, I found the average home loan in WA was now the highest since published ABS data began, having jumped over $62,000 in just eight months. And the largest rises are in the more affordable areas of Perth, where first homebuyers, newly arrived Australians, and those poorly equipped to deal with cost increases are looking to settle. Renters in the West face similar challenges, struggling to find a home in what has become the most restrictive rental vacancy rate in Australia. Housing I’ll return to the Coalition’s vision for Australia’s economy in a moment, but here it is worth mentioning our plan to resolve this housing crisis. That includes restoring the dream of home ownership by unlocking up to 500,000 homes through investment in infrastructure, ensuring faster delivery. And, because unmodeled and record immigration is a key component of this challenge, we will reduce migration numbers and ban foreign investors buying existing homes. Economic Alternative This reality of what Australia is experiencing highlights a key structural problem:…

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Transcript – Interview with Nadia Mitsopoulos – ABC Perth Radio

Transcripts

Senator Dean Smith Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Liberal Senator for Western Australia TRANSCRIPT – INTERVIEW WITH NADIA MITSOPOULOS, ABC RADIO PERTH TOPICS: ABC gives; Food Donation Tax Incentive Bill; supporting Charities sector E&OE NADIA MITSOPOULOS: Well, should there be tax breaks for companies who donate to food charities? WA Liberal Senator Dean Smith introduced a Private Senator’s Bill to try and make this happen, but the Albanese Government has indicated it will reject this proposed legislation. I’m keen on your thoughts if you think this is something worth doing. And I have Senator Dean Smith on the line now. Good morning, Senator. Thank you for your time. DEAN SMITH: Good morning to you, Nadia. It’s great to be with you. And can I just congratulate the ABC on what’s a fantastic initiative, and the generosity of West Australians who have given so generously thus far. I think it’s a fantastic opportunity and a great partnership with Foodbank. NADIA MITSOPOULOS: Senator, thank you and we look forward to your donation! DEAN SMITH: Indeed you will! Please send me the link. NADIA MITSOPOULOS: We will do that right now. Let’s look at some context. I guess 7.6 million tonnes of food is dumped annually. We understand most of that is fit for consumption. Why isn’t more donated? DEAN SMITH: The reason that generous primary producers like our farmers and food manufacturers are not making this food available to food relief charities like Foodbank, Ozharvest and Secondbite is because it’s cost prohibitive for many of them to do that. So, what I mean by that is the transport costs that it might take to shift this food from where it’s being made or where it’s been produced to a food relief charity. Those costs, those additional labour costs, are so inhibitive that people decide to dump that surplus food into landfill. We just heard that from your previous interview. At a time when we know that cost of living pressures are pushing more families to food relief charities like Foodbank and others than we’ve ever seen before. The Salvation Army has come out yesterday and supported my initiative. Anglicare has come out and supported the initiative. Saint Vincent De Paul has come out and supported the initiative. This is an initiative that Foodbank and Ozharvest and Secondbite have been talking about for some time. And unfortunately, the only people that seem to stand in the way at the moment are the Federal Labor Government, which is very disappointing. At such a critical time, they are putting politics before people. NADIA MITSOPOULOS: So, Senator, explain what your Private Senator’s Bill proposes? DEAN SMITH: It’s very simple and practical in its construct. And that’s why I remain optimistic that perhaps early in the new year we will get this legislated. But put very simply, it provides for companies with a turnover of less than $20 million the opportunity to get a refundable tax offset of 45% for costs that are incurred to shift food to a food relief charity. A company with a turnover of over $20 million but less than $50 million would get a tax offset of 40%, and then a company in excess of $50 million turnover would get a tax offset of 30%, up to a cap of $5 million. Those numbers might sound large to your listeners, but what’s important about this is that we’ve had the National Farmers’ Federation come out and support the initiative, recognising that this will support farmers. AUSVEG, which is a key industry association for vegetable produce farmers, has come out and supported the initiative. So, an important feature of this, Nadia, is that we hope that the cost-of-living crisis ends at some point. And that’s why I’ve put a time limit around this initiative. We would hope that within three years, cost of living pressures might improve, and that an incentive like this would not be necessary anymore. But we have a collision of significant factors, huge food waste in our community at a time when families are very vulnerable. Probably the most vulnerable they’ve ever been. And food relief charities are asking for more help. NADIA MITSOPOULOS: And this is very different to the tax deductions that corporate sponsorships and donations already get, because we’re talking about covering the cost of transporting the physical food. That’s the difference here, right? DEAN SMITH: That is correct. And, importantly, the Bill has integrity measures. So, companies will not be able to double dip if they are getting other sorts of tax benefits, they wouldn’t be able to double dip from this particular initiative. The Senate Economics Committee, we had a public hearing, well supported by many organisations across the country. KPMG, Chartered Accountants of Australia, and others also came or made contributions. So, it enjoys very wide support. People can be very confident that this is a prudent use of their taxpayer dollars at a time of critical need in our community. NADIA MITSOPOULOS: My guest this morning is WA Liberal Senator Dean Smith, saying the time has come to provide tax breaks to companies who donate to food charities. So, we’re not talking about the money. And thank you for those that are sending me messages about how they already get tax deductions for their corporate sponsorships and donations. We’re talking about the physical moving of food because it all ends up getting dumped. And so, there’s food waste issues here as well. And I wonder if you think this is a good idea and is it something the Government should be considering? The number is 1 302 720. The charities that you’ve spoken to who support this, what have they said to you about the difference this would make in regard to their donations? SENATOR DEAN SMITH: I’ve been doing committee work in the Senate for a number of years now. I’ve been pleasantly surprised with the clarity with which food relief charities and other organisations have come and…

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Media Release – Charities and hungry Australians they support “crying out for help” under Labor

Media Releases

SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE 19 November 2024 CHARITIES AND HUNGRY AUSTRALIANS THEY SUPPORT “CRYING OUT FOR HELP” UNDER LABOR Labor’s cost-of-living crisis has seen millions of Australians unable to afford food and other basic necessities – leaving charities struggling to meet demand and making a mockery of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s promise the nation would be better off under his Government. The recently released final report of the Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living, reflecting almost two years of hearings around Australia, paints a shocking picture of hardship for households and charities alike, noting “The sector is crying out for help”. Leading charities and not for profits told the Committee of the “severe food insecurity” affecting record numbers of Australians, with Anglicare Sydney working with families where parents were forced to go hungry so their children could eat. Foodbank was among the organisations that shared insights into skyrocketing demand, noting that only 6,000 people searched their website for food relief access in August 2022 compared to 25,000 in May this year. The rising cost of goods and services has meant that Australians who have never required charitable support are now reaching out for it. The report confirms that, for the first time, charities’ clients include dual income households and mortgage holders. A combination of growing mortgage stress, high grocery prices – coupled with shrinkflation – and price increases across many other essential categories, has meant that nobody is safe from Labor’s homegrown inflation. The report also found that charities and not for profits are themselves operating in a compromised environment, with less donations and greater overheads, as well as reduced access to volunteers. Reserve Bank Governor Michelle Bullock acknowledged this inflationary challenge for the charity sector in evidence to the Committee, noting that “it’s inflation which is compounding this whole issue…they don’t have the money to buy essentials”. Labor and its economic mismanagement are responsible for this situation and its effect on millions of Australian households and businesses, so the Albanese Government’s rejection of a practical proposal to boost food donations to charity is particularly outrageous. One of the key recommendations of the report was that Labor support passage of Senator Dean Smith’s Private Senators Bill, the Tax Laws Amendment (Incentivising Food Donations to Charitable Organisations) Bill 2024. The Bill would introduce a tax incentive to offset the cost of donating food, providing desperately needed support to hungry Australians and the food relief charities they rely on. It also assists farmers and other food producers affected by Labor’s tandem cost of doing business crisis. The report observes “Of all the committee’s recommendations, these are among the most urgent, given people are foregoing food because they do not have enough money to buy groceries and eat.” But, despite this urgency, and widespread endorsement, the Albanese Government signalled last week that it opposes the Bill. Disappointing as it is, it’s an unsurprising move from a Government that has consistently failed to address both the cause and effects of a cost of living crisis of its own making. Quotes attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “The cost-of-living committee has pulled back the curtains on the struggle and suffering Labor is inflicting on the Australian people, including increasing food insecurity.” “Our charities and not for profits have never worked harder, or been more needed – this report confirms that – yet the Government ignores its recommendation to support a practical initiative to reduce hunger and support charities.” “Australian voters must hold the Government to account for its broken promises and the toll its incompetence has taken on households and businesses.” ENDS

Hume, Smith & Canavan – Media Release – National Crisis Needs National Response

Media Releases

SENATOR THE HON JANE HUME SHADOW MINISTER FOR FINANCE CHAIR OF THE COST OF LIVING COMMITTEE SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR THE HON MATT CANAVAN SENATOR FOR QUEENSLAND MEDIA RELEASE Monday 18 November 2024   NATIONAL CRISIS NEEDS NATIONAL RESPONSE Following a two year inquiry, the Cost of Living Committee has found that Australians’ standards of living have collapsed due to Labor’s high inflation and low productivity. The Committee’s final report, Paying the Price: The Cost of a Crisis on Australians’ Standards of Living makes an additional nine recommendations to the Albanese Government, on top of the 14 that remained unactioned from the Second Interim Report. In response to the overwhelming evidence that Australia’s inflation crisis is homegrown, the Committee has called for the Albanese Government to show leadership and convene National Cabinet to address excessive government spending that is driving inflation. In addition, the Committee has found that Australians’ falling standards of living needs an active response from Government. The Report found that Labor’s anti-productivity red tape agenda was contributing to the cost of living crisis, driving up costs for small businesses and prices for consumers. For that reason, the Committee also recommended the Albanese Government to convene National Cabinet to develop productivity-enhancing reforms for the economy, including establishing a national deregulation agenda. Chair of the Committee Senator Jane Hume said that two years of evidence has overwhelmingly shown that Australians are worse off under Labor. “High inflation has eaten away at the standard of living for Australians, and is the driving force of this cost of living crisis. “Anthony Albanese must call a National Cabinet to address the excessive government spending from all levels of Government, to help address our homegrown inflation crisis. “Sadly, the Prime Minister and his Labor colleagues have been gutless in their response. “If Labor was serious about lowering the cost of living and restoring our standards of living, they would show leadership and act on these recommendations.” Senator Dean Smith, whose Private Senator’s Bill to encourage donations to food charities and slash food waste was endorsed by the report, said Labor needs to focus on people rather than politics. “A food donation tax incentive is the highest policy priority for food relief charities and the hungry households they support, but despite two and half years of very public advocacy to deliver it, Labor continues to turn a blind eye. “I call on the Albanese Government to put people first and reverse its decision to oppose this sensible and practical solution, which will help to address record food stress across the country – especially as Christmas approaches. “Labor’s cost of living crisis has hit charities and not for profits very hard, with many overwhelmed by a combination of skyrocketing demand for services and dramatically increased operating costs.” Senator Matt Canavan said Labor had abandoned Australians across the country by focussing on their pet projects and keeping cosy relationships, instead of the cost of living crisis. “For two and a half years we have seen nothing but wrong priorities from Anthony Albanese and his Government. “Families and small businesses, particularly those in regional and rural Australia, have been forgotten by Labor, and as we heard throughout the Committee it is those communities who are doing it incredibly tough. “It’s time we saw some action from Labor on the cost of living and I urge the Albanese Government to adopt these recommendations as a matter of priority.” The Final Report is available online here. ENDS

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Transcript – Interview with Ollie Peterson, 6PR Perth Live

Transcripts

Senator Dean Smith Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Liberal Senator for Western Australia TRANSCRIPT – INTERVIEW WITH OLIVER PETERSON, 6PR MORNINGS TOPICS: Food Donation Tax Incentive Bill; Labor’s approach to charities E&OE OLIVER PETERSON: A lot of the food relief charities are looking for more help and assistance, particularly this time of year as we go into Christmas with Meals on Wheels, for example, struggling to keep up with demand due to the cost-of-living crisis. Well, something was put forward by my next guest in the Australian Parliament, a Private Senator’s Bill, which was going to offer tax offsets for expenses incurred through donations to food relief charities. It’s been rejected. WA Liberal Senator Dean Smith can tell you all. DEAN SMITH: Good afternoon to you, Ollie. OLIVER PETERSON: What did you put forward, Dean? DEAN SMITH: What I put forward, and which has been agreed to by the Coalition, is a sensible, practical idea that would provide much needed food relief to many households across our state that are suffering from cost-of-living pressures. We know that there are about 2 million, or 19 percent, of Australian households that are currently experiencing food insecurity. That’s at a time when there’s 7.6 million tonnes of food being dumped every year. So, my idea, in the form of a Private Senator’s Bill, is to provide a tax incentive so that primary producers and other producers of foodstuffs can provide that surplus food to food relief charities like FoodBank, Ozharvest, SecondBite and others, and get a tax incentive to do that. We know that there is tremendous amount of food surplus in our country, and what is stopping people from being able to provide that surplus food to food charities is the cost of doing that. So, this was a proposition that would provide, in my mind, a modest tax incentive to primary producers, our farmers, to food manufacturers, to help them shift that food surplus into food charities at a time of very critical need. So, I was hugely surprised today when it was revealed that Anthony Albanese has turned his back on what is a very sensible, practical idea, abandoned vulnerable households and made it harder for food relief charities like FoodBank and others. At a time when they’re telling me and telling many other parliamentarians that demand for their services is higher than it’s ever been. OLIVER PETERSON: Didn’t the Standing Committee on Agriculture recommend something similar to that of yours which you put forward, Senator? DEAN SMITH: Very good point. So, my Private Senator’s Bill has been contained, has been recommended in two other parliamentary inquiries. So, what we call the House Agricultural Committee, which is dominated by Labor House of Representatives members, actually endorsed this idea in one of their reports last year. The Senate Select Committee on the Cost of Living, its report was released today. It’s also endorsed this idea. And then the Senate Economics Committee, the Coalition, no surprises, has endorsed the idea in the Senate Economics Committee report that was released today as well. But Labor in the report decided to turn their back on what is a very practical, sensible idea. We are approaching Christmas. Unfortunately, the cost-of-living crisis is going to continue for WA families into the new year and as I think you’ve said, Ollie, this is an idea that is supported by many organisations. Up to 60 significant organisations across our country. Like I said, endorsed by FoodBank, endorsed by Ozharvest, endorsed by Second Bite, endorsed by AusVeg, endorsed by the Australian Trucking Association. So, people would be very disappointed that the Government has decided to turn their back on what’s a very sensible idea. OLIVER PETERSON: So, the food relief sector is on board with that. I believe there were some concerns raised about the possibility of the major supermarkets using that tax incentive. Is, that perhaps a reason, Senator, as to why they’ve decided not to endorse it? DEAN SMITH: No, I’d say that is Labor playing politics over good policy. It has always been the intention of this Bill to make it ineligible for Woolworths and Coles and others to be able to participate in this programme. Woolworths and Coles and the big grocers have said to me, Senator Smith, we do our own programmes we don’t need this programme, and we wouldn’t participate in this programme. But to be doubly cautious, Ollie, to be doubly cautious, I’m going to amend the Bill to make sure that they are absolutely locked out of this. So, when Labor says oh, well, you know, Senator Smith is making it easier for Coles and Woolworths, that’s Labor playing politics. And I think Australians will be able to see through that. OLIVER PETERSON: Is that what it’s come down to though overall? Just the politics in it, because it’s an idea that’s come from you as opposed to them. Is that why they’re not backing it in? DEAN SMITH: I wouldn’t be surprised if they get closer to the election, perhaps Labor might put their hand up and say, actually, this is a good idea. We’re going to rebrand it. We’re going to introduce it ourselves. Now, if that happens, the winners of that will be food relief charities like FoodBank and others. And we would absolutely endorse anyone taking this idea up. It’s not even a new idea. The food relief charities have been walking the corridors of Parliament in Canberra for years. No one took any notice of them. When they came to meet me about a year ago, I thought, this is a good idea. I can’t understand why people haven’t championed it. So I turned it into a Bill and I’m going to use my energy, my sort of political effort to really push it through the Parliament, because as you know, as all of you listeners know, life has got very difficult for people, extremely difficult. More and more people are going to…

Taylor and Smith – Joint Media Release – Labor’s opportunity to improve record of competition failure

Media Releases

The Hon Angus Taylor MP – Shadow Treasurer – Member for Hume Senator Dean Smith – Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Senator for Western Australia MEDIA RELEASE 15 November 2024 LABOR’S OPPORTUNITY TO IMPROVE RECORD OF COMPETITION FAILURE The Albanese Government has been given the chance to finally deliver meaningful competition reform for Australian businesses and consumers – having repeatedly failed to do so. In a Senate Economics Committee report released today, the Coalition has made clear while it endorses the legislation – the Treasury Laws Amendment (Mergers and Acquisitions Reform) Bill 2024 – the success of the new regime hinges on Labor’s ability to successfully implement it. On that score, the Albanese Government’s record counts against it, having shown poor stewardship of complex policy matters, mismanaged the economy, and dragged its feet on key competition initiatives – including supermarket reforms, the Consumer Data Right and the News Media Bargaining Code. The Coalition stressed the need for a balanced and transparent implementation process that monitors costs, reports regularly on progress, and focuses most heavily on sectors where market concentration is problematic. It echoed the concerns of many stakeholders that the economy-wide nature of the new framework risks burdening small and medium businesses with potentially high compliance costs and red tape, neither of which they are in a position to manage – and stifling investment and innovation as a result. This regime also represents a major challenge for the ACCC, demanding considerable resources and, in many ways, a shift in direction. The Coalition noted in its comments that, while it absolutely supports the ACCC’s work in achieving better competition outcomes, future increases to funding and staff – including to deliver the mandatory reporting framework – must be justified by its success. Stakeholder concerns over implementation risks, including delays in processing merger applications and the need for constant consultation to review thresholds and other settings were reflected in the Coalition’s recommendations. These closely reflected proposals to improve implementation from the Business Council of Australia and include regular publication of KPIs to measure how the regime is performing and the establishment of an expert implementation panel. Comments attributable to Mr Taylor: “The Coalition is committed to competition reform that enhances growth, delivers real benefits for Australian consumers and businesses and, most important of all, puts the customer in charge. “The customer is the best regulator in the industry, but they can only do that if they have competition and if they have choice. That’s why a robust competition framework is essential, but it can’t become sludge and red tape. “Australians and Australian businesses have good reason to doubt this government’s ability to implement complex policy. Under Labor the price of almost everything has gone up. “The Coalition will always stand ready to work towards balanced, targeted solutions that will strengthen competition where it is most needed, supporting growth, innovation and, most of all, the prosperity and choices of all Australians.” Comments attributable to Senator Smith: “The Coalition is supporting this legislation in good faith, because we want to see competition improve in concentrated sectors of the economy like aviation and the supermarkets. “Labor must ensure that the implementation of this new regime is efficient, responsive and transparent – something it has not been able to deliver with other policy rollouts. “Stakeholders have made clear that there are risks associated with this framework if it is poorly implemented and our recommendations reflect their informed suggestions for how to mitigate those risks.” ENDS

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Media Release – Labor puts politics before hungry Australians

Media Releases

SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE 15 November 2024   LABOR PUTS POLITICS BEFORE HUNGRY AUSTRALIANS   Labor has abandoned vulnerable households and the food relief charities supporting them as Christmas fast approaches. In a Senate Economics Committee report released today, the Albanese Government signalled it would reject proposed legislation incentivising food donations and reducing waste at a time when both are desperately needed. Labor’s ongoing cost of living crisis has resulted in more than 2 million – or 19 percent – of Australian households experiencing severe food insecurity during the past year. 82 percent of those households reported increased living expenses as a contributing factor. Meanwhile, more than 7.6 million tonnes of food, most of it fit for consumption, are dumped annually because it is cheaper than donating it. The Tax Laws Amendment (Incentivising Food Donations to Charitable Organisations) Bill 2024, introduced as a Private Senator’s Bill by Senator Dean Smith, offers tax offsets for expenses incurred through donations to food relief charities. In opposing it, Labor has ignored both years of advocacy for a food donation tax incentive and the recommendations of multiple Senate inquiries – including those run by its own committees. A letter of support for the tax incentive, signed by more than 60 food industry organisations and companies, was sent to Treasurer Jim Chalmers in March 2023. That letter remains unanswered. The Labor-led House Standing Committee on Agriculture recommended a food donation tax incentive in a report a full year ago and passage of the Bill is a recommendation of the Senate Cost of Living Committee’s final report, which was released today. Labor has not only failed to act but is blocking the efforts of those trying to. The Albanese Government’s position is at odds with the overwhelming support received from stakeholders and witnesses who appeared at a Canberra public hearing into the Bill last month, during which food relief charities and industry organisations stressed the urgency of delivering the tax incentive. They observed the “game-changer” potential of the Bill, and its ability to support struggling households, charities fighting to meet demand, and farmers and other primary producers battling Labor’s cost of doing business crisis. Some enhancements to the Bill were suggested by stakeholders and experts, including the Food Relief Sector and KPMG, who observed that definitions in the Bill excluded both potential donors and charities from being able to access its benefits, and that thresholds needed to be increased to reflect the high turnover but low profits of many farmers. To address this, the Coalition recommended in the report that these enhancements be seriously considered subject to budgetary implications. Concerns were also raised about the possibility of the major supermarkets using the tax incentive, despite both Coles and Woolworths confirming in writing that they would not. Given current public expectations regarding the supermarket sector, the Coalition still recommended an amendment to the Bill specifically excluding signatories to the Mandatory Food and Grocery Code, which will include the major supermarkets. Perhaps worst of all, Labor used the report to attack the charitable organisations it continues to slap in the face – expressing a view that the Bill “preferences” large food relief charities at the expense of others. The Coalition’s final recommendation in the report was for Labor, given it had rejected this opportunity to support those in need, finally introduce its own alternative policy to boost food donations and reduce dumping. Until that happens, Australians will continue to suffer under the Albanese Government. Quotes attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “The cost-of-living crisis that Labor has failed to address has caused pain across the community, with record food insecurity one of the most visible and urgent examples.” “Labor has shown its true colours in this report, revealing just how little it cares for Australian charities and the millions of people they are trying to feed.” “The Government has failed to act and now it blocks others from doing so, and it needs to explain to 2 million hungry Australians why it puts politics ahead of helping them.” ENDS

JMR – Howarth / Smith – Labor Still Cannot Explain CDR Hold Up

Media Releases

The Hon Luke Howarth MP Shadow Assistant Treasurer Shadow Minister for Financial Services Senator Dean Smith Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Liberal Senator for Western Australia JOINT MEDIA RELEASE 8 November 2024 LABOR STILL CANNOT EXPLAIN CDR HOLD UP The Coalition is urging Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Financial Services Stephen Jones to progress the rollout of the Consumer Data Right (CDR) as quickly as possible. As well as finally delivering on this long-overdue commitment, it would make up for some of the precious time lost through Labor’s 14-month delay in legislating the competition reform. Under questioning from Senator Dean Smith during a Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra, Treasury officials confirmed that an important component of the CDR – consent and operational enhancement rules – have been drafted and delivered to the Assistant Treasurer for approval. However, it was also revealed that these rules remain on Mr Jones’ desk, with Treasury unable to move ahead with finalising them. Asked if the Assistant Treasurer would be dealing with these matters expeditiously, Senator Gallagher’s reply will give little comfort to frustrated stakeholders and consumers: “I can’t answer on behalf of him, but I would expect so. You know, that is his approach. He is a hard-working Minister with a lot on his plate.” The latest delay comes after legislation to support the CDR languished for fourteen months in the Senate without debate under Labor. It was only forced onto the Albanese Government’s legislative agenda in July 2024 after sustained Coalition pressure led by Shadow Assistant Treasurer Luke Howarth and Shadow Assistant Competition Minister Senator Dean Smith. Finally passed the following month, the Treasury Laws Amendment (Consumer Data Right) Bill 2022 paves the way for consumers to direct accredited representatives to make secure instructions on their behalf, including ordering payments, opening and closing accounts, switching providers and updating personal details. Senator Smith took the opportunity to query “why there was such a significant delay to the Bill being debated and then finally passed in the Senate?”. Senator Gallagher remarked only that “There is a lot of consideration is given to the legislative program.” Now, after presiding over another hold up that it cannot, or will not, explain – and with the Assistant Treasurer having assured guests at an event in August that Labor was prioritising the initiative and “backing the CDR” to be “the system of choice” – the go-slow continues. Questioned whether concerns related to the Privacy Act were contributing to the delays, Treasury officials said “It’s not affecting our current planning and delivery and commitment of this.” It prompted Senator Smith to ask what many impacted parties are also asking: “If that is the case, why is there still a delay?” The answer, once again, is the Albanese Government itself. With the next election less than six months away, the window of opportunity to implement these reforms in the current Parliament is rapidly closing. Labor will have failed to advance a bipartisan and universally endorsed competition measure that is desperately needed by Australian consumers and businesses in the cost of living crisis. ACCC Chair Gina Cass-Gottlieb released statistics on CDR usage for the first time last week, painting a clear picture of the strong demand for it across the country. It rests with the Assistant Treasurer to finally begin acting with the urgency the CDR deserves. ENDS

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Media Release – Terror linked Australian charities investigated and antisemitism on the rise

Media Releases

SENATOR DEAN SMITH SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE 8 November 2024   TERROR LINKED AUSTRALIAN CHARITIES INVESTIGATED AND ANTISEMITISM ON THE RISE Since the October 7 attacks last year, there have been eight investigations into Australian charities over concerns they are supporting terrorism. The Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission confirmed the investigations during a Senate Estimates hearing in Canberra last night. ACNC officials said a total of 146 complaints relating to 26 charities have been received since the conflict began – with 11 complaints related to terrorism or terrorism funding. Eight of those 11 complaints have been investigated, three of them now finalised and five ongoing. The ACNC took on notice whether the finalised investigations had resulted in action being taken against the charities involved. Questioning from Coalition Charities spokesman Senator Dean Smith revealed that while none of the charities investigated had specifically been accused of involvement in antisemitic activities, it has been a growing issue following October 7. “We had not had concerns raised around antisemitic behaviour prior to the conflict, that is a new area,” officials reported. The ACNC told the hearing that its existing protocols are capable of dealing with complaints or investigations regarding antisemitism, adding that it works holistically with other regulators to determine which is best placed to manage individual concerns. Comments attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “When I first requested data on complaints of terror-related activity by Australian charities in June, it was 51 – the fact that has now jumped to 146 is a clear indication this is a rapidly escalating issue.” “Australians rightly view the majority of our charity sector as doing an outstanding and credible job to support the community, so they will be confronted to hear that local charities are being investigated for alleged terror links.” “The ACNC’s confirmation that antisemitic behaviour has emerged as an issue since October 7 is proof of how serious and widespread this problem has become in Australian life.” “I urge everybody – and especially Labor and Assistant Charities Minister Andrew Leigh – to pay the closest attention to these serious issues for the sector.” ENDS

Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury – Media Release – No Relief for Australian Shoppers This Christmas Holidays

Media Releases

SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA MEDIA RELEASE 07 November 2024   NO RELIEF FOR AUSTRALIAN SHOPPERS THIS CHRISTMAS HOLIDAYS There’ll be no price relief at the checkout this Christmas and summer holidays thanks to Labor’s go slow on supermarkets reform. Treasury officials confirmed during Senate Estimates that Albanese Government initiatives aimed at lowering grocery prices won’t be implemented until April 2025. Senator Smith requested a timeline for changes to the Food and Grocery Code and other recommendations of the Emerson Review agreed to by the Government. Officials confirmed a mandatory Food and Grocery Code would not come into force until 1 April 2025 – and that the anonymous complaints mechanism and new Code Supervisor would only be operational once the mandatory Code was implemented. They also confirmed consultation on Unit Pricing Code reforms announced by the Prime Minister on 2 October would not begin until the first quarter of next year, with the reforms themselves not expected until later in 2025. Despite the Government announcing in June that it would accept all recommendations of the Emerson Review, Treasury stated none of Labor’s various initiatives to improve competition and transparency in the Australian supermarket sector would be operational before April 2025. The result is that Australian consumers already battling the cost of living crisis are left exposed at what is traditionally one of the most expensive times of the year. As the Reserve Bank of Australia noted in its Statement on Monetary Policy released this week, “underlying inflation remains too high” and any reduction in food and grocery inflation has been brought on by “current demand conditions”. So as shoppers begin to spend more in preparation for the Festive Season, they are likely to face increased price pressure – all without any remedy from the Albanese Government and its stalled policies. Given Labor announced it would accept all recommendations of the Emerson Review in June this year, it will be almost 12 months before it is implemented. This makes no allowance for the upcoming election, which could be as early as March or late as May, and which risks blowing out the implementation date further still. Comments attributable to Senator Dean Smith: “Labor is taking Australians for April fools with these delayed reforms, which are desperately needed now rather than April next year – if we even see them then.” “As Christmas approaches, with ample evidence of food stress and Australians doing it tough, the Albanese Government has left Australian shoppers without grocery price relief when they need it most.” “Contrast this to the Coalition’s clear, targeted policy to improve supermarket sector competition and deliver improved outcomes for both consumers and suppliers.” “Jim Chalmers, Andrew Leigh, and the entire Albanese Government must now explain to Australians why its Christmas gift to the nation is higher grocery prices.”   ENDS