Greens Propose $25bn Plan to Make Supermarkets Public

Max Chandler-Mather, a former Greens MP who now leads the Greens Institute, has put forward a new plan to tackle high grocery prices in Australia.

He wants the government to nationalise 200 stores owned by Coles and Woolworths, the country's two biggest supermarket chains. Nationalising means the government would buy and own the stores.

According to Chandler-Mather, the plan would cost around $25 billion. He argues that public ownership of supermarkets would help lower prices for shoppers.

The idea is inspired by New York politician Zohran Mamdani, who has suggested similar public store plans to ease living costs in the United States. Chandler-Mather's proposal follows a similar approach.

Chandler-Mather claims that Coles and Woolworths currently charge unfairly high prices for food. He believes publicly owned stores would not need to make large profits, so they could sell groceries more cheaply.

The plan would create a government-run supermarket chain that competes directly with the two private companies. Supporters say this competition could push prices down across the whole market.

Coles and Woolworths together control a large share of Australia's grocery market. Critics have long accused both companies of having too much power over food prices.

It is not yet clear whether this plan has support from other political parties or whether it will be formally debated in parliament. For now, it remains a proposal from the Greens Institute rather than official government policy.