19 July 2000

Labor Price Survey a Con

Labor's GST price survey has been exposed as a sham and a con, the Minister for Financial Services & Regulation, Joe Hockey, said today.

The Herald Sun today reported that more than half of the prices from Labor's survey are actually lower than the ACCC's medium price range estimates.

It was revealed today that:

  • The ALP only released to the media information on prices which rose substantially.
  • The ALP survey found the price of supermarket items – washing detergent, toilet paper, soap, toothpaste, cheese and flour – have fallen significantly below the estimates published by the ACCC in May.
  • The ALP survey actually shows the prices of many items have fallen in July.

"Lindsay Tanner had conned the Australian public with his bogus price survey. Labor are misleading the Australian public and treating them like fools," the Minister said.

"In its desperation Labor resorts to lying to the Australian public.

"It is outright dishonest, it is misleading and shows you can't believe a thing Labor say.

"Lindsay Tanner has made some serious allegations on price exploitation, so he should provide all this information on prices to the ACCC to investigate."