The state Greens Party is calling for the removal of corporate watchdog chief Graeme Samuel due to his corporate bias in the recent grocery prices inquiry.
Greens candidate for the Agricultural Region, Dee Margetts, said she was in no way surprised by the stories provided by Australian producers, manufacturers and suppliers to Australia's major supermarket chains in last night's edition of ABC '4 Corners' television program.
"Graham Samuel's claims that there was "no evidence" provided to the [Australian Competition and Consumers Commission] grocery prices inquiry to indicate that there was a major problem in Australia's food supply sector were outrageous," Ms Margetts said.
"Having provided the ACCC inquiry with two academically reviewed papers regarding the impact of market power abuse on the Australian dairy industry myself, I know that statement is incorrect.
"I wrote a submission to the ACCC, advising that if their inquiry was to be credible it would need to conduct a widespread survey of Australia's grocery supply sector, protected by absolute confidentiality, due to the understandable fear of retribution that many producers, manufacturers and suppliers would have from the corporate supermarket chains as a result.
"Instead, as Chair of what quickly became a farcical inquiry, Graham Samuel, subpoenaed vulnerable suppliers to come before the ACCC, asked dangerous questions then offered them sessions "in-camera" to provide the answers, which, if given, could lead to their commercial suicide. The ACCC may have asked the questions but clearly did not wish to hear the real answers.
"To save what is left of our grocery supply sector, and to properly protect the interests of consumers, it is time for our state Government to demand the head of the ACCC be replaced."
