Maranoa MP David Littleproud is calling on supermarkets to do the right thing by optimising supply chains to move goods around rural and remote parts so that everyone gets their fair share.
“There are loyal customers and station owners out there travelling for hours to find that the goods they want — rice, chickpeas, fresh fruit and vegies, toilet paper — are in limited stock or unavailable,” Mr Littleproud said.
“I urge supermarkets to work with the Federal Government’s COVID-19 Coordination Commission to deal with the economic and social problems rural and remote communities are facing as a result of this pandemic.
“Supermarketsneed to work with the ACCC on guaranteeing that their loyal customers and theprimary producers are getting access to supplies they need without hurdles.
“We’retalking about loyal customers, station owners with multiple workers to feed andpeople who live far enough from the grocery store that they can only make atrip every fortnight.
“The irony here is that these stations are theones growing the food that supermarkets are putting on their shelves.
“Yes,hoarders have put major stress on the supply chains but we’ve got to get thisright, now.
“Wegrow enough food for 75 million people and for any Australian to go without inthis situation is just not on.
“COVID-19 is affecting us all and I urgethe supermarket giants to step up and not leave rural and remote communitiesdisadvantaged.”
