The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) blocks Coles’ proposed supermarket and liquor store development in Kalgoorlie, saying the plan could harm local competition. According to reports, the ACCC rejects Coles’ bid involving the acquisition or use of a lease for premises in the Kalgoorlie-Boulder area. The ACCC’s reasoning focuses on potential effects on independent retailers, warning that the development may reduce their ability to operate and could lead to an independent retailer exiting the local market. Coles’ proposal centres on establishing a new supermarket and liquor store at the proposed site. The ACCC’s decision reflects the agency’s competition assessment of retail market impacts, particularly where the entry or expansion of a large operator may affect existing businesses. The reports indicate that, in this case, the ACCC concludes the risks to competition outweigh the benefits of the proposed development. The outcome prevents Coles from proceeding with the plan in its current form, as detailed in both sources.