The proposal
Former Greens MP and head of the Greens Institute, Max Chandler-Mather, has unveiled a $25.1 billion plan to shake up Australia's grocery market. Taking a page from the playbook of NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the proposal aims to establish a non-profit, government-owned supermarket chain called "Fair Go Grocers."
How it would work
The plan involves using forced divestiture laws to take over more than 200 existing Coles and Woolworths locations and three distribution centers. On top of that, the government would build 424 new stores and 10 more distribution centers. If successful, this network would control roughly 20% of the market.
Chandler-Mather argues that this move could save the average four-person household about $60 a week—a 22% reduction in grocery costs. A new statutory authority, staffed by experts in nutrition, farming, and retail, would manage monthly pricing and wholesale rates to keep things affordable. The initial cost would be spread over five years, but the institute claims the stores would be self-funding after that.
The political vibes
Greens leader David Shoebridge is backing the idea, framing it as a direct answer to the "dread" people feel at the checkout counter. The party is clearly trying to pivot toward material issues that resonate with voters; a YouGov poll commissioned by the Institute found 84% support for the concept, with the highest approval coming from the 25–34 age bracket.
Why it matters
Grocery inflation has been a massive pain point, and with the competition watchdog currently taking Coles and Woolworths to task over pricing claims, the timing is highkey calculated. It’s giving a major push for a "public option" for food, similar to how we treat healthcare, but it faces the same hurdles as Mamdani’s NYC plan: namely, the argument that the government shouldn't be competing directly with private business.
