The record El Niño coming this summer could push grocery bills even higher. But look at the numbers: staples like bread, cereals, and dairy have already jumped 28-30% in the last five years – compared to just 3-6% in the five years prior. That's not weather. That's supermarket pricing power allowed to run unchecked while governments do nothing. Another external shock will hit households already paying more for less. The Reserve Bank may hike rates again, making rent and mortgage repayments even harder. It's a cost-of-living crisis manufactured as much by market concentration as by climate. We need publicly transparent pricing data, stronger competition laws, and a government that treats food security like the essential infrastructure it is. #auspol #costofliving