The Albanese Government is taking action to fight shrinkflation in our supermarkets and retail sector by strengthening the Unit Pricing Code to make it easier for Australians to make accurate and timely price comparisons.

The Government will also introduce substantial penalties for supermarkets who do the wrong thing and breach the Unit Pricing Code.

The practice of 'shrinkflation' is becoming increasingly common, where the size of a product is reduced, but the price at the supermarket is the same or even increases, taking advantage of Australians doing their groceries.

BILL SHORTEN, MINISTER FOR THE NDIS AND GOVERNMENT SERVICES: Well, welcome to the electorate of Maribyrnong, the heart of it, Moonee Ponds. It's my great pleasure to welcome our Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, and Labor's next Member for Maribyrnong, we hope, Jo Briskey. We've been here at a fantastic Goodstart Learning Centre, talking to the workforce about Labor's great policies to make sure that our early childhood educators get long overdue recognition, which indeed is one of Ms. Briskey's many achievements.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will welcome His All-Holiness Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew to Australia in October 2024.

This year marks 100 years since the establishment of the Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of Australia.

His All-Holiness will spend two weeks in Australia, meeting with Greek Australian and diaspora communities, Orthodox parishioners, political and interfaith leaders, and community groups.

Prime Minister Albanese will host His All-Holiness as a Guest of Government on 5 and 13 October.

RAF EPSTEIN, HOST: We all woke up to news of Iran lobbing missiles at Israel, and Israel's army has moved into Lebanon. That is just the last 24 hours. There is a potential flashpoint right here in Melbourne this weekend. October 7 is Monday, one year since the Hamas attacks and almost a year since Israel went into Gaza. The Prime Minister, Anthony Albanese, is in Melbourne. Thanks for coming in.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Good to be with you, Raf.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: It's been great to be able to catch up with Katie, Xavier and Nat and their children and to have an opportunity to talk about the impact that people are talking about around the suburbs and towns the whole way around Australia, which is how shoppers and consumers should get a fair deal. That's why we're cracking down on supermarkets, because supermarkets haven't been doing the right thing.

Today the Albanese Labor Government is taking decisive action to help consumers get fairer prices at the supermarket checkout, in stores and online.

Misconduct in the supermarket and retail sector is unfair, unacceptable and makes cost-of-living pressures worse for Australians.

We don’t want to see ordinary Australians, families and pensioners being taken for a ride by the supermarkets, and we’re taking steps to make sure they get a fair go at the checkout.

The Albanese Government today announces the appointment of Aftab Malik as Special Envoy to Combat Islamophobia in Australia.

Every Australian, whatever their race or religion, should be able to feel safe and at home in any community, without prejudice or discrimination.

The ongoing conflict in the Middle East continues to deeply affect communities across Australia.

The appointment of Mr Malik is a crucial part of the Government’s strategy to ensure all Australians feel safe and included, and follows extensive consultation with the community.

ANTHONY ALBANESE, PRIME MINISTER: Well, thanks everyone. Last week, of course, we had the inflation figures down to 2.7 per cent from 3.5 per cent, and it's been a big effort to deliver that whilst we've been delivering on cost of living relief for people. Today, we have the figures where Jim and Katy will be out there in a little while announcing the surplus of $15.8 billion. That follows the $22 billion surplus achieved last year, the largest back-to-back surpluses on record.

BRENDAN O’CONNOR, MEMBER FOR GORTON: Can I start by thanking the Prime Minister for being here today, and of course, being here with my successor candidate, Alice Jordan-Baird. Can I say, two months ago, I announced my resignation from the Cabinet and my impending retirement from Parliament after spending more than 20 years in this electorate. And I just want to again record my deep gratitude to the constituents of Gorton for supporting me for so very long.

The Albanese Labor Government is committed to ensuring Australians are paying a fair price for their groceries and our farmers are getting a fair price for their hard work, with the Government today releasing the ACCC’s Supermarkets Inquiry Interim Report.

When families are doing it tough, they need a Government that's on their side and a tough consumer cop on the beat – and that’s the important role the ACCC is playing.