Treasury Laws Amendment (Doubling Penalties for ACCC Enforcement) Bill 2026

Senator GALLAGHER (Australian Capital Territory—Minister for Finance, Minister for the Public Service, Minister for Women, Minister for Government Services and Manager of Government Business in the Senate) (15:57): As Senator McKim knows, the decision around the legislation in response to supermarkets was done in response to the work that the ACCC had conducted in an inquiry, including advice to the government, and specifically found the supermarket sector to be dominated by two players.

We take advice from the ACCC seriously. They have been consulted on the laws that we are debating right now, and we will continue to work with the ACCC as we work through some of these issues that we're seeing. We expect—and I know that the Chair of the ACCC and all of her staff are working around the clock to respond to some of what we're seeing and some of the concerns that people have raised around fuel and fuel pricing and distribution across the economy.

We support the work of the ACCC and the advice that they provide government.