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Legislative Council - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-09-15 Daily Xml
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COLES CAMPAIGN

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:02): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the Minister for Consumer and Business Affairs a question about Coles' 'Down, down and staying down' campaign moving into our schools.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: From the point of view of both consumers and small businesses we are seeing an unprecedented move by a national company directly into our schools promoting the 'Down, down and staying down' campaign, including, I understand, sending managers of local Coles supermarkets into schools to judge singing competitions and then rewarding students with Coles' propaganda. Today on my way into parliament I saw the next step of this, admittedly on a private school, with a banner appropriately badged with Coles' logos all over it promoting tokens and 'Down, down and staying down'. My questions to the minister are:

1. Will the minister ask her department to investigate this issue with respect to equity and fairness with other businesses when it comes to Coles' unprecedented moves?

2. Does the minister have concern and, if so, will the minister speak to the premier-in-waiting and current Minister for Education to ask him and discuss with him his views on this, given that until now there has always been a convention on how far private sector companies go to market their products in schools?

3. If the government endorsed this behaviour of Coles, is it prepared to allow Hungry Jacks, McDonald's, Lions and other corporates to also go in there promoting their propaganda?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Regional Development, Minister for Public Sector Management, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Consumer Affairs, Minister for Government Enterprises, Minister for Gambling) (15:04): I thank the member for his important questions. They pertain to the minister for business affairs, the Hon. Tom Koutsantonis, who has some responsibility for this area. It is largely a federal matter and to do with national competition and relates to the ACCC. Those businesses—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: —and their access to the marketplace is a business issue. It is not a responsibility that comes under my portfolio. As I have said, I am happy to refer that to the appropriate minister in another place.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. G.E. GAGO: I am happy to refer it to the Minister for Education as well to see whether he has a view. As I said, I believe that it is largely a matter for the ACCC.

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