NT Remote Stores Program
The Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet is seeking feedback on the draft NT Remote Stores Program Standards for declared community stores.
Background
Every Territorian has a right to access food, drink and grocery items. Residents and visitors in regional centres such as Alice Springs and Katherine have a range of choices about where they shop. In these places, customers have buying power.
In remote communities there is often only one store, and residents and visitors have limited choice. This means the store has significant market power.
The Australian Government used to licence and monitor remote community stores. The Northern Territory Government now has this responsibility.
The Northern Territory Remote Stores Program (the program) is being developed to support and regulate stores servicing remote Aboriginal communities to ensure Territorians living in remote communities have access to healthy food options at reasonable prices.
NT Remote Stores Program Standards
There are more than 90 remote community stores across the Northern Territory. Take a look at the map.
The NT Government is setting up a remote stores program to regulate these remote community stores.
The first step was the Food Amendment Bill 2023 (NT), which made changes to the Food Act 2004 (NT).
Under this legislation, remote community stores must:
- provide ongoing access to food, drink and grocery items for residents of remote communities
- promote good nutrition and healthy products to customers
- be operated and managed in a way that ensures the continued viability of the business.
This legislation also says that the NT Government can put food security standards in place. These Standards will be the minimum practice requirements remote community stores must meet.
Have your say
The Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet has drafted the NT Remote Stores Program Standards.
We want to know what you think about the draft Standards, focusing on these questions:
- Within the scope of the program, are they sufficient?
- Is anything missing?
- Will they be achievable?
Consultation
If you live in a remote community, own or manage a store, or supply community stores, we would like to hear from you about what you think of the proposed NT Remote Stores Program Standards for remote community stores.
You can submit feedback in the following ways:
- Fill out the survey on this page
- Email us directly at CMC.RegionalDevelopment@nt.gov.au
- Send a letter to
Regional Development, Department of the Chief Minister and Cabinet
GPO Box 4396, Darwin NT 0801 - Give us a call 08 8999 8401
- Speak to us when we visit your community.
Your feedback will be shared with the Program stakeholder group and will inform the final draft of the NT Remote Stores Program Standards.
Submissions close at 11:59pm on Friday 19 July 2024.
