Premier slams retail giants for CEO absence at inquiry

The Queensland premier has taken aim at retail giants for not sending their top bosses to a state inquiry, accusing them of “thumbing their nose” at the public.

Steven Miles then vented his frustration at the inquiry in Brisbane on Monday, taking Coles to task for a perceived lack of contrition.

The heads of Woolworths and Coles were grilled in fiery Senate hearings on supermarket prices in April.

However, the chains opted not to send them to Queensland’s parliamentary inquiry into price gouging, raising the ire of the premier.

“I think frankly, in particular Coles, is thumbing their nose at Queenslanders, thumbing their nose at the Queensland parliament,” Mr Miles told reporters on the Sunshine Coast.

“This process is really, really important. It’s important to me and I’m disappointed it’s not important to them.”

Mr Miles said he was concerned the supermarket giants were not taking Queensland’s inquiry seriously.

“I think what we’ve seen from the supermarkets is they just don’t seem to get it,” he said.

“They just don’t seem to get how the impact of their prices and their practices are hurting Queensland households and hurting Queensland farmers.”

The premier later arrived at the inquiry to question Coles head of government affairs Adam Fitzgibbons, asking him whether there was anything the retail giant could have done better during the past six months.

Mr Fitzgibbons said the supermarket was ensuring it provided the best value they could to customers, sparking a response from Mr Miles.

“I think this goes to what is most frustrating for policymakers and for consumers is every time we hear from spokespeople from ... Coles or Woolworths, they insist that they’ve done nothing wrong,” the premier said.

“And I think what Queenslanders would like to hear is a supermarket boss say, ‘We could have done better and we will do better’... my frustration is we don’t get to hear that.”

Mr Fitzgibbons fronted the inquiry in person while Coles chief operating officer Matt Swindells and chief legal officer David Brewster appeared via video link.

Counsel assisting the inquiry Angus Scott asked about the absence of Coles CEO Leah Weckert from Monday’s hearing.

The inquiry was told Ms Weckert was attending a board meeting.

The premier proposed the parliamentary inquiry into the gap between grocery prices and what farmers are being paid for their produce amid a cost-of-living outcry.

Mr Fitzgibbons conceded more transparency was needed from Coles about how prices were set for fruit and vegetable farmers.

“We’d be very willing and keen to be part of the conversation as to what appropriate transparency measures looks like for the horticulture sector,” he said.

The inquiry was told prices for fruit and vegetables were set on a weekly basis.

Suppliers propose a price for their produce using an online portal, Coles responds and an agreement is struck a few days later.

The inquiry was told 1.49 per cent of produce received from farmers was rejected at Coles’ distribution centres.

Coles made an operating profit of $1.848 billion in the 2022-2023 financial year, according to the latest publicly available records.

Mr Scott asked if the supermarket was performing “fabulously well” financially.

Mr Fitzgibbons said it was “consistent” with performance during the past five years.

Woolworths is set to give evidence at the inquiry on Monday afternoon.

The inquiry will hand down its report at the end of May.