SENATOR DEAN SMITH
SHADOW ASSISTANT MINISTER FOR COMPETITION, CHARITIES AND TREASURY
SENATOR FOR WESTERN AUSTRALIA
MEDIA RELEASE
27 August 2024
TOO LITTLE, TOO LATE – LABOR’S COMPETITION ATTEMPTS FALL SHORT
Australians are paying a high price for the Albanese Government’s inability to deliver genuine competition reform.
The Aviation White Paper and National Competition Policy Consultation Paper, both released yesterday, are powerful examples of how little Labor has achieved in this policy area.
Consumers have waited a long time for both desperately needed airline traveller protections and the “revitalising” of now inadequate competition policy.
That wait has been in vain, with the Albanese Government again leaving them disappointed – and vulnerable.
This maintains Treasurer Jim Chalmers and Assistant Competition Minister Andrew Leigh’s track record of missed opportunities when they are most critical.
The more Australians need something, the less attention Labor gives it.
Aviation White Paper
Despite making more than 50 recommendations, most notably establishing a taxpayer-funded ombudsman to hear complaints, the White Paper does not provide any practical improvement to the situation facing airline consumers.
These include high ticket prices, flight cancellations, delays, lost baggage and other consequences of Australia’s duopolistic air industry – none of which are specifically addressed.
Worst of all, no provision is made for the compensation of affected consumers.
As has already been pointed out, this is a feature of the Pay on Delay Bill, introduced into the Senate on behalf of the Coalition by Senator Bridget McKenzie and Senator Dean Smith.
The only meaningful initiative listed is the ongoing ACCC monitoring of the airline sector, although the White Paper fails to mention that Labor only reinstated this Coalition policy because it was forced to by another Private Senator’s Bill from Senators McKenzie and Smith.
National Competition Policy Consultation Paper
In December 2023, Australian, State and Territory Treasurers “agreed to revitalise national competition policy and committed to developing an agenda for long‑term pro‑competitive reforms” through the Council of Federal Financial Relations.
Precious little has happened since.
The fact that the consultation period only began this week – 8 months later – is unacceptable considering how pressing competition reform has now become.
But, instead of making this a priority issue, Labor and Assistant Minister Leigh have dragged their heels, falling back on their tired routine of endless press conferences and consultation phases
The clear takeaway is that no progress will be made on competition matters before the next election.
Quotes attributable to Senator Dean Smith, Shadow Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury:
“Two years of Labor have been a disaster for competition reform, with key opportunities to improve lost – deliberately or otherwise – and Australian consumers left to pay for the fallout.”
“Whether it be the Aviation White Paper or the National Competition Policy, Jim Chalmers and Andrew Leigh have kicked the can down the road so many times that nothing can now be achieved before the election.”
“The Coalition has called again and again for the prioritisation of competition policy development, but it has been another victim of Labor’s skewed priorities.”
“It’s made even worse in the aviation sector, which is impacting Australians so badly, because the Coalition has presented Labor with clear policy on how to protect and compensate consumers.”
“Labor has chosen to ignore that policy – and Australians are suffering for it.”
ENDS