Responses to Questions on Notice – Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote communities

Comparison of food pricing between non-Indigenous remote communities and remote Indigenous communities

The transient nature of remote populations make it difficult to accurately define a ‘non-Indigenous remote community’. The Government is not aware of existing reports comparing price differences between non-Indigenous remote locations and remote Indigenous locations.

Stakeholders involved on the Ministerial Food Security Round Table

The Ministerial Food Security Round Table, is chaired by the Minister for , the Hon Mr Ken Wyatt AM MP. The Office of the Hon Ken Wyatt and/or the National Indigenous Australians Agency are best placed to confirm the stakeholders involved with the Ministerial Food Security Round Table, which was established to ensure food security in remote Northern Territory.

The Northern Territory Government participated and contributed to a number of meetings, which were chaired by the Hon Minister Wyatt AM MP. These meetings included representatives such as: the Minister for Indigenous Affairs, The Hon Ken Wyatt AM MP, Chief Minister, The Hon MLA; Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, The Hon Selena Uibo MLA, Department of the Chief Minister, National Indigenous Australians Agency (NIAA), Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA) and Island and Cape, Outback Stores, Mai Wiru, Community Enterprises Queensland (CEQ), Government Relations and Industry Affairs, Metcash, Coles and Woolworths.

Along with the NIAA COVID-19 Food Security Working Group, led by the NIAA, a Regional and Remote Taskforce was established in the Northern Territory which is co-chaired by the Department of the Chief Minster and the Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory.

As of 31 July 2020, the NT Regional and Remote Taskforce included the following stakeholders:

1. Department of the Chief Minister 2. Central Land Council 3. Northern Land Council 4. Central Australian Aboriginal Congress 5. Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory 6. NT Police, Fire and Emergency Services 7. Northern Territory Government agencies 8. Tiwi Land Council 9. Anyinginyi Health Aboriginal Corporation 10. Yilli Housing 11. North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency 12. National Indigenous Australians Agency 13. Anindilyakwa Land Council 14. Tangentyere Council 15. Local Government Association of the Northern Territory 16. Northern Territory Council of Social Service 17. Danila Dilba Health Service 18. Larrakia Nation Responses to Questions on Notice – Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote communities

19. Office of Township Leasing 20. Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation

Provide a break-down of the management of the 84 stores servicing remote communities, including data on the size and location of each community the stores operate in.

The NT Government Submission identified 84 stores servicing remote communities in the Northern Territory. As remote store management is a Commonwealth regulated and funded responsibility, it is recommended the Standing Committee seeks the most up-to-date numbers from the appropriate agency in the Commonwealth. The below numbers are from publically available resources.

It should be noted that the numbers provided below differ to those presented in the original NT Government Submission. Data discrepancies between the two data sets are likely due to a number of factors. The original submission dataset may not have captured multiple stores in one community, while the dataset below captures multiple stores in communities, includes TAH Holdings-managed and Regional Merchandising Solutions (RMS)-managed stores under ‘independent stores’, and includes a number of stores which are only open intermittently.

ARNHEM LAND PROGRESS ABORIGINAL CORPORATION (ALPA)

ALPA operates 17 remote stores in the Northern Territory (excluding one store in Darwin).

STORE LOCATION COMMUNITY POPULATION Galiwin'ku (ALPA Buthan) 2453 Galiwin'ku (Galiwinku Community Store) 2453 Gapuwiyak (Lake Evella) 1085 Milingimbi (Yurriwi) 1439 Minjilang (Croker Island) 290 Ramingining 1025 Pirlangimpi 436 Ajurumu (Warruwi) 457 Adjumarllarl Store (Gunbalanya) 1312 Nganmarriyanga 458 Warliburru (Minyeri/Minyerri) 726 Numburindi Unknown Mikbamurra Unknown Malandari (Borroloola) 390 Robinson River 261 Kalkarindji 392 Lajamanu 703

OUTBACK STORES

Outback Stores operates 24 stores in the Northern Territory.

STORE LOCATION COMMUNITY POPULATION Responses to Questions on Notice – Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote communities

Alpirakina Store (Yuelamu) 259 Barlmarrk Supermarket (Maningrida) 2712 Beswick Community Store (Beswick) 624 Canteen Creek Community Store (Canteen Creek) 216 Dungalan Store (Jilkminggan (Duck Creek)) 354 Engawala Store (Engawala) 181 Gulin Gulin Community Store (Bulman) 329 Imanpa General Store (Imanpa) 177 Lagulalya Store (Milyakburra) 161 Mirnirri Store (Ali Curung) 580 Mt Liebig Community Store (Mt Liebig) 199 Nauiyu Nambiyu Store (Nauiyu, Daly River) 444 Ngukurr General Store (Ngukurr) 1350 Nguru Walalja Store (Yuendumu) 892 Nitjpurru Community Store (Pigeon Hole) 141 Nyirripi Community Store (Nyirripi) 236 Community Store (Papunya) 475 Santa Teresa Community Store (Santa Teresa) 682 Ti Tree Food Store (Ti Tree/ Nturiya) 110 Store (Titjikala) 267 Wetenngerr Store (Epenarra/ Wutunugurra) 195 Wirliyatjarrayi Store (Willowra) 354 Urapunga / Rittarangu Community Store (Rittarangu) 160 Nauiyu Riverbank Store/Pub Shop (Nauiyu, Daly River) 444

ABORIGINAL INVESTMENT GROUP (AIG)

AIG operates 2 stores in the Northern Territory.

STORE LOCATION COMMUNITY POPULATION Barunga 427 Timber Creek 293

Mai Wiru

Mai Wiru operates 3 stores in the Northern Territory.

STORE LOCATION COMMUNITY POPULATION Ininti () 380 Kanparrka Store (Haasts Bluff) 162 Yuendumu 892 Independent Stores

There are 60 independent or community-managed stores operating in the Northern Territory.

STORE LOCATION STORE NAMES COMMUNITY POPULATION Responses to Questions on Notice – Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote communities

Ali Curung Warrabri Bakery 580 Alpurrurulam Warte Alparayetye Store 494 Amanbidji Amanbidji Store (current store privately 83 operated by Kildurk Pastoral Company - Clive Stone) Amoonguna Community Store 281 Ampilatwatja Aherrenge Community Store 491 Ampilatwatja Ammaroo Station Store 491 Angurugu Groote Eylandt Bush Shop 1005 Angurugu Yimilyumanja Community Store 1005 Aputula Aboriginal Corporation Store 226 Aputula Aputula Aboriginal Corporation Store 226 Atitjere (Harts Range) Atitjere Homelands Store 263 Belyuen Belyuen Store 193 Bonya Homelands Bonya Store 60 (Orrtipa-Thurra) Borroloola Borroloola Motel Hotel 390 Borroloola Redimart (Red Dirt Trading) 390 Bulla Janyima Store 105 Elliott Town Camps Elliott Hotel Minishop (Currently closed but 398 opens intermitently) Elliott Town Camps Midland Caravan Park Store 398 Elliott Town Camps The Elliott Store NT 398 Galiwinku Daruma Takeaway 2453 Galiwinku Takirrina Tuckerbox 2453 Gunbalanya Gunbalanya Service Station Store 1312 Hermannsburg Finke River Mission Store (Large) 711 Hermannsburg Ntaria Supermarket (Medium) 711 Hermannsburg Ntaria Supermarket (Medium) 711 (Docker Docker River Store 463 River) Kintore Kintore Store/Pulikutjarra 482 Laramba Laramba Community Store 281 Maningrida Maningrida Progress Association Store and 2712 Hasty Tasty Takeaway Maningrida One 68 General Store 2712 Mapuru Mapuru Store 43 Milikapiti Milikapiti community store - Indigenous 471 owned and Independently managed Minyerri Hodgson Downs Store 726 Numbulwar New Town General Store & Takeaway 850

Peppimenarti Peppimenarti Community Store 209 Responses to Questions on Notice – Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote communities

Pole 13/ Alyangula Bartalumba/Alyangula Mini Mart 873 Tara Neutral Junction Station Store 105 Ti Tree Red Centre Farm Store 110 Ti Tree Ti Tree Farm Garden 110 Ti Tree Way Out Bush Store 110 Titjikala Maryvale Station Store 267 Umbakumba Miyabama Mini Mart 591 Utopia Home Lands Redgum (Station) Store 517 Utopia Homelands Arlparra Store 517 Utopia Homelands Delmore Downs Store (Currently Closed but 517 opens intermittently) Utopia Homelands Mt Swan Mini Mart 517 Utopia Homelands River Gum Store - 3 Bore 517 Wadeye Murrinhpatha Nimmipa Store 2679 Wadeye Werrk Store 2679 Wallace Rockhole 120 Wandawuy Wandawuy Store 80 Wilora Stirling Store 112 Wurrumiyanga (aka Nguiu Store - Indigenous owned and 1837 Nguiu) Independently managed Wurrumiyanga (aka Tai Supermarket - Privately owned and 1837 Nguiu) Independently managed Wurrumiyanga (aka Tai's Asian Food Store - Privately owned and 1837 Nguiu) Independently managed Wutunugurra Epenarra Station Store 195 (Epenarra) Wutunugurra Kurundi Station Store 195 (Epenarra) Yarralin Yarralin Store 344 Yilpara Baniyala Community Store 130 Yirrkala Yirrkala Community Store 951

NTG comments on proposals regarding the establishment of a cooperative wholesale distributor

In his submission to the Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities, MLA, Member for Namatjira, proposed that consideration be given as to the establishment of a government-owned and operated food wholesaler to remote communities that could regulate the cost of food. Mr Paech proposed this wholesaler could be established as a subsidiary organisation. Responses to Questions on Notice – Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote communities

The proposal for a cooperative wholesale distributor does have merit. However, further consideration is required as to how this would impact existing suppliers and wholesalers. Alternatively, the ability for community stores to benefit from similar pricing levels to that of major supermarkets from manufacturers and wholesalers could result in lower prices at community stores’ checkouts and would be valuable for a multi-stakeholder group to investigate further.

The Department of Trade, Business and Innovation may be able to assist with an assessment of a proposal for the establishment of a cooperative wholesale distributor if it were deemed necessary.

NTG comments regarding the proposed transfer of responsibility for store licensing and monitoring to the NT Department of Health

In its submission to the Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities, Aboriginal Peak Organisations NT (APO NT) proposed that the Commonwealth conduct an independent review of the Stronger Futures Act, and review whether the responsibility for store licensing and monitoring should be transferred to the NT Department of Health given that the NT Government has carriage of the Market Basket Survey.

A review of the Stronger Futures Act and its implementation to date would provide valuable qualitative and quantitative data to underpin an evaluation of store licensing. It is recognised this would be additional to the efforts of the National Indigenous Australians Agency in relation to store viability; store governance, employment, management, financial practices and the promotion of good nutrition under the community stores licensing scheme in the NT; and improving food security and nutrition in school age children through school nutrition projects in the NT.

It would be important for the proposed review to identify the benefit or value of transferring responsibility for store licensing and monitoring from the Commonwealth Government to another entity. It should be noted that the Market Basket Survey (being a measure of availability, range, quality and cost of goods in remote stores in the NT) is a measure of just one component of store licensing.