One of the best parts of being an independent is being able to respond when your community asks for help. In response to constituents’ feedback, I’ve consistently advocated for better consumer protections in a number of areas.
Addressing the supermarket duopoly
Many of you have told me that, in a cost-of-living crisis, recent increases in grocery prices have felt excessive. I’ve supported independent reviews of the industry, advocated for greater transparency around supermarket pricing, and pushed for a mandatory Food and Grocery Code of Conduct.
Taking on the airlines
I’ve also advocated for the government to hold Qantas and Virgin to account for actions like slot hoarding and selling seats on cancelled flights. We now have a dedicated aviation ombudsman and a passenger Chart of Rights, to ensure faster refunds and complaint resolution. I’ll continue to push for a mandatory compensation scheme for those affected by delayed and cancelled flights—as is in place in the EU, Canada, and the US.
Combatting scams
Together with the Consumer Action Law Centre, I’ve worked for better legal protections for scams victims. I founded the Parliamentary Friends of Scams Protection and successfully pushed for an improved national Scams Protection Framework, including an amendment to improve its reimbursement model. This was one of the last pieces of legislation passed by the 47th Parliament.
Parliamentary speeches