ACT Slams Green Policy as 'Desperate' and 'Visionless'
ACT Leader David Seymour criticized the Green Party's proposal to break up supermarkets and 'ban price-gouging' as desperate and visionless campaigning. He stated that while ACT agrees New Zealand needs more grocery competition, policies should be judged by outcomes, not intentions.
The analysis behind this latest proposal is weak, according to Seymour, and the results are not even promising. It amounts to $2.38 a week per person, which would be completely eroded by food price inflation in the first year alone.
Seymour pointed out that the report itself highlights caveats and potential downsides of the policy, including higher supply chain costs, insurmountable legal hurdles, and non-trivial regulatory risks. He questioned the Labour Party's 'naive' proposal to stop excessive prices without considering factors like seasonal price fluctuations.
ACT proposes a fast-track regime for supermarkets to make it easier for new entrants to build stores and invest in distribution. This would unlock New Zealand's potential by encouraging investment, innovation, and competition.