Greens launch election platform with promise to slash grocery prices

The Greens have unveiled their 2026 state election platform, vowing to lower grocery prices and enhance community safety. The party plans to allocate $300 million for constructing 10 state-owned supermarkets, located in Melbourne and regional Victoria, which would provide essential groceries like bread, milk, and fresh produce at up to 30% discounts compared to major retailers.

Additionally, the Greens propose investing $1 billion over four years into community safety, including 24/7 crisis outreach teams staffed by health and social workers.

Ellen Sandell, the Victorian Greens leader, highlighted that this initiative echoes a similar proposal by New York Mayor Zohran Mamdani, who has allocated $100 million to establish five city-owned supermarkets by 2030. Sandell emphasized that no one should have to make difficult decisions about what to leave behind in their shopping carts due to financial constraints.

The party aims to make these state-owned supermarkets self-sustaining over time, benefiting from reduced expenses such as advertising and profit-sharing. By eliminating the need to pay for these expenses, the stores could offer up to a 25% discount on a typical basket of groceries. Unlike traditional supermarkets, these government-owned stores wouldn't require CEO salaries or shareholder dividends, resulting in significant cost savings.

Research from The Green Institute suggests that expenses at these government-owned stores could be cut by 25% through measures like reducing the number of security guards and CCTV systems. Despite the ambitious nature of this proposal, economics lecturer Aaron Barkley acknowledged that the government would face considerable challenges in competing with existing retailers in the market.

However, he suggested that targeted subsidies for lower-income individuals or rural residents could also effectively address grocery affordability issues.

Furthermore, the Greens plan to allocate $1 billion towards community safety over four years, inspired by New York City's successful Office of Community Safety. This office has contributed to the city's safest summer on record and would fund 24/7 crisis outreach teams staffed by health and social workers. The Greens argue that the current approaches to crime proposed by the Coalition and Labor have failed to make Victorians feel safer, and they urge the government to adopt these safety measures in Victoria.