Coalition pledges to privatise Melbourne's wholesale fruit and veg market if elected

The Coalition, led by Jess Wilson, announced that a victory in the November 28 election would trigger the sale of the state-owned Melbourne Wholesale Fruit and Vegetable Market in Epping. The 67-hectare site, home to nearly 3,000 traders, is the last government-run wholesale market in the country and could fetch about $578 million, based on Parliamentary Budget Office calculations that include proceeds and savings from dissolving the Melbourne Market Authority.

Wilson argues that the horticulture sector can manage the market better than the state and will introduce competition protections, service standards and independent rent reviews. Fresh State Limited, whose CEO Jason Cooper says the market is costly to run, backs industry ownership, citing a decade-long struggle since the 2015 relocation. The Coalition may follow Queensland’s 2002 model, where Brisbane Markets Limited, a grower-led consortium, bought its market, though it also leaves open the possibility of a non-industry purchaser. The proposal forms part of a broader plan to save over $24.5 billion and achieve a budget surplus by 2032.