NT Remote Stores Program
The Northern Territory Government 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 NT Government 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
Submissions closed at 11:59pm on Thursday 8 August 2024.
For further information or to contact the NT Remote Stores Team, please email NTRemote.Stores@nt.gov.au or call on 08 89995413.