Former federal MP and head of the Greens Institute, Max Chandler‑Mather, has unveiled a $25.1 billion proposal to nationalise more than 200 supermarkets currently operated by Coles and Woolworths, and to launch a network of government‑run grocery stores across Australia.
The plan, modelled on New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani’s publicly owned grocery initiative, would rely on newly introduced forced‑divestiture legislation to transfer ownership of major supermarket sites and three key distribution centres to the state.
According to Chandler‑Mather, the publicly owned chain would be funded through a combination of government investment and the proceeds from the forced sales, with the aim of lowering grocery prices for Australian consumers.
In addition to the takeover of existing Coles and Woolworths outlets, the proposal calls for the establishment of hundreds of new government‑operated grocery stores, expanding the retail footprint of the public sector into communities that currently lack affordable options.
The Greens Institute, the party’s policy think‑tank, says the initiative would create a “national grocery system” that can compete with the duopoly of the two major private retailers, while also providing jobs and ensuring food security.
Chandler‑Mather did not specify a timeline for implementation, noting that the plan would require legislative changes and negotiations with the private supermarket chains before any sites could be transferred.
<small>Source: The Guardian — read the original story there.</small>