1 00:00:00,160 --> 00:00:03,080 Speaker 1: All goods so far from Nikola Willison's supermarkets. I reckon 2 00:00:03,120 --> 00:00:05,080 Speaker 1: she's got to the nub of the problem, which is 3 00:00:05,160 --> 00:00:09,760 Speaker 1: basically red tape. Governments of all stripes, including her, have 4 00:00:09,880 --> 00:00:12,600 Speaker 1: been quick to point the finger at private enterprise for 5 00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:15,760 Speaker 1: higher prices, and there is truth in that, but most 6 00:00:15,800 --> 00:00:18,320 Speaker 1: haven't looked in the mirror like Willis did yesterday and 7 00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:22,440 Speaker 1: admit it's them that also has a problem. We all do. Really, 8 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: everyone moans about prices, but then moans about construction of 9 00:00:27,080 --> 00:00:30,920 Speaker 1: anything new not in my backyard. The whole NIMBI movement, 10 00:00:31,240 --> 00:00:35,880 Speaker 1: consultation up, the wazoo committees, petitions, duncan web on a soapbox. 11 00:00:36,479 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: That's democracy. Like Churchill said, the lesser of two evils. 12 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:42,640 Speaker 1: It's taken them two years to get here, but they 13 00:00:42,680 --> 00:00:44,920 Speaker 1: could have just listened to our interview with the former 14 00:00:44,920 --> 00:00:47,840 Speaker 1: managing director of Costco back in March. Of course, he 15 00:00:47,880 --> 00:00:50,080 Speaker 1: told us all of this then, and the other big 16 00:00:50,120 --> 00:00:53,519 Speaker 1: problem real estate prices for those wanting to build and 17 00:00:53,600 --> 00:00:57,040 Speaker 1: develop and shipping. Getting your goods here to the bottom 18 00:00:57,080 --> 00:00:59,800 Speaker 1: of the world on their time frames is another big one, 19 00:01:00,040 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 1: especially when you're operating at scale like a Costco. We 20 00:01:03,840 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 1: spoke about this last week. They will tinker around with 21 00:01:07,400 --> 00:01:10,920 Speaker 1: the fast track the consumer laws and then plaster their 22 00:01:10,959 --> 00:01:15,280 Speaker 1: presses with the threat of breaking up the duopoly, divestment, 23 00:01:15,959 --> 00:01:20,199 Speaker 1: forcing your pack and saves you will worse to sell 24 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,200 Speaker 1: some of their stores to a new entrant, to a 25 00:01:22,240 --> 00:01:26,920 Speaker 1: third entrant, forcing your food stuffs to sell some distribution centers. Maybe, 26 00:01:27,480 --> 00:01:29,520 Speaker 1: And what I said last week is still true now 27 00:01:29,760 --> 00:01:32,920 Speaker 1: Acts won't go for it, so it's a non starter. 28 00:01:33,680 --> 00:01:37,240 Speaker 1: Plus even the ComCom said it's risky as cost could 29 00:01:37,240 --> 00:01:41,479 Speaker 1: outweigh benefits. So Willis should stop with the threats. If 30 00:01:41,520 --> 00:01:45,120 Speaker 1: you own a supermarket right now and your livelihood is 31 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:49,040 Speaker 1: being threatened, are you going to invest, are you going 32 00:01:49,080 --> 00:01:52,800 Speaker 1: to hire staff? Are you going to plan an expansion? 33 00:01:53,680 --> 00:01:56,880 Speaker 1: The threat is purely political and could end up doing 34 00:01:56,880 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 1: the opposite of what Willis wants it to do, So 35 00:01:59,760 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 1: just put it in the ben already. For more from 36 00:02:03,080 --> 00:02:06,360 Speaker 1: Early Edition with Ryan Bridge, listen live to News Talks 37 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:09,640 Speaker 1: it Be from five am weekdays, or follow the podcast 38 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:10,600 Speaker 1: on iHeartRadio.