Central Land Council chief executive Les Turner has welcomed today’s federal government election promise of a price cap on 30 essential items sold by remote community stores.

“This is great news for our people, Mr Turner said.

“They have been crying out about unaffordable food and other essentials in their communities. For many years they have struggled with prices that are 40 per cent higher than at the major supermarkets in town.”

“We can’t beat the epidemic of diabetes, kidney disease and rheumatic fever that is shortening our lives if we can’t afford healthy food.”

Mr Turner urged the Coalition to take a bipartisan approach to food security.

“We are asking the opposition to match Labor’s promise or tell us what their policy solutions are.”

The CLC has advocated strongly for policy solutions such as boosting remote incomes, freight subsidies and price caps.

Late last year it made a major submission to the National Remote Food Strategy.

“This week we feel that our voices are finally being heard,” Mr Turner said.

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MEDIA CONTACT: Hazel Volk | 0473 644 533|media@clc.org.au        

APO NT and its member organisations acknowledge the tragic passing of a 20-year-old employee of the Airport Tavern BWS store in Jingili on Sunday night.

We send our sincere condolences to the family and friends of the young man, and repeat the strong messages that have come from leadership and community across the Northern Territory: we condemn all violence against anyone, anywhere.

We at APO NT commit to working with the broader NT community and decision makers to ensure this never happens again. However, we urge the Government to avoid knee jerk reactions and rushed reform.

“We know the impact that hastily applied bail reform can have.

It happened here in the Territory in 2021 when bail law reform for young people occurred, and yet we didn’t see any reductions to offending,” said Dr John Paterson, acting CEO of NAAJA. “We at APO NT call for a calm and measured response- one that is well considered and based on evidence- to ensure community safety across the Territory.”

“We know law reform as proposed by the Chief Minister this morning will disproportionately impact Aboriginal people. We urge the Northern Territory Government to work with Aboriginal leaders and communities to address the systemic and broader causes of this serious incident and build together long-lasting, high-impact solutions,” said Nick Espie, Principal Legal Officer, NAAJA.

“We know what is needed in the NT to enable safer communities- the expansion of appropriate bail support services across the NT, and investment in programs that address problem behaviour and cycles of reoffending. We need to invest in mediation and conflict resolution programs, as well as alcohol support and rehabilitation programs.” said Mr Espie.

“We understand the community sentiment of anger and anguish. And rightly so. But quick fixes will not, and cannot, prevent crime. And filling up jails is not the answer,” said Dr Paterson.

“Aboriginal communities already have the solutions, but not the funding and resources to proactively address these issues. Our leaders are seeking to partner with the Northern Territory Government to share decision making on a path forward that improves community safety for all Territorians,” said Dr John Paterson.

“The outcomes we want to see can be achieved. So, we’re asking all levels of government to honour their commitments to the NT community, and work with us to prevent and address the causes of violent crime,” said Mr Espie.

ENDS

About APO NT: The Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory is a formal alliance that, through its membership, represents the majority of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.

The alliance was formed to provide a more effective response to key issues of joint interest and concern affecting Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, including working in genuine partnership with governments to achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians.

The alliance comprises the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), Central Land Council (CLC), Northern Land Council (NLC), Tiwi Land Council (TLC), Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC), Aboriginal Housing NT (AHNT) and the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NT IBN).

Contact: Interviews with spokespeople can be organised by contacting Seranie Gamble, APO NT manager, 0473 423 806

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The Aboriginal Peak Organisations of the Northern Territory (APO NT) is calling on the federal government to enter a genuine partnership to achieve improved outcomes for Aboriginal people in the NT, amid the crisis in Alice Springs.

APO NT is seeking a commitment from the federal government to enter negotiations about the future of the National Partnership on Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment and to agree future policies, programs and funding through a three-way formal agreement between the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments and APO NT.

Dr John Paterson, APO NT spokesperson and CEO of the Aboriginal Medical Alliance Northern Territory said the time has come to put the intervention era and knee jerk responses to an end.

“What we need is for the Commonwealth and Northern Territory governments to sit down with the organisations controlled by our communities and negotiate a formal agreement on new policies, programs and funding to improve outcomes for Aboriginal people right across the Territory.

With the National Partnership on Northern Territory Remote Aboriginal Investment coming to an end there is an opportunity to build a new approach, based on a formal partnership between governments and APO NT and our communities,” Dr Paterson said.

Mr Jerome Cubillo, APO NT spokesperson and CEO of the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network added, “We need a significantly different policy and program focus based on the priorities of Aboriginal people, that supports the sustainability of communities and responds to the underlying social and economic issues.”

“There needs to be a greater Territory wide focus on critical priorities like youth support and community safety. Importantly, we also need to start backing Aboriginal led economies, business and jobs on Aboriginal Land.
We need governments to sit down with APO NT members and negotiate and agree a new investment package together. This is what will help make lasting change for our communities and put the yo-yo interventionist approach to an end,” Mr Cubillo said.

“A new funding package, on its own, delivered through existing arrangements with the Northern Territory government or through another Commonwealth intervention, will unlikely receive the buy-in on the ground needed to achieve improved outcomes for our communities.

“We also need governments and Oppositions to stop thinking about Alice Springs in isolation. We need a whole of Territory response, one that sees the connection between regional towns, like Alice Springs, and our communities,” Dr Paterson said.

“With the legacy of failed approaches, APO NT is ready to work with the federal and NT governments to move on from the Intervention era and urgently get the settings right to improve the life outcomes of Aboriginal Territorians.

APO NT has put its proposal to both governments and we are waiting on a response.”

ENDS

About APO NT: The Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory is a formal alliance that, through its membership, represents the majority of Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory.

The alliance was formed to provide a more effective response to key issues of joint interest and concern affecting Aboriginal people in the Northern Territory, including working in genuine partnership with governments to achieve better outcomes for Aboriginal Territorians.

The alliance comprises the Aboriginal Medical Service Alliance Northern Territory (AMSANT), North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA), Central Land Council (CLC), Northern Land Council (NLC), Tiwi Land Council (TLC), Anindilyakwa Land Council (ALC), Aboriginal Housing NT (AHNT) and the Northern Territory Indigenous Business Network (NT IBN).

Contact: Interviews with spokespeople can be organised by contacting Theresa Roe 0429 991 765, theresa.roe@apont.org.au

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A coalition of 13 Aboriginal organisations of the Northern Territory* want the national cabinet to immediately guarantee the supply of affordable food and other basics in locked-down remote communities.
Two weeks ago, the commonwealth and NT governments met with major supermarkets, suppliers and three major remote retailers, yet remote community owned stores are still waiting to hear about any government interventions that might flow from that meeting that will take the pressure off.

“We are getting daily reports of remote stores struggling to supply basic goods,” said John Paterson, the CEO of the Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance of the NT.

“Some stores are running out of fresh food three days after their weekly delivery. Under COVID-19 travel restrictions small, community owned stores must suddenly meet 100% of people’s needs across a much greater range of products. Some stores have had to triple their usual orders.

“In recent weeks, the big supermarkets have responded to panic buying down south by sweeping up the bulk of goods from manufacturers and producers. Independent suppliers are struggling to get what they need for remote stores,” said John Paterson.

“We want an agreed proportion of these essential goods set aside for the independent suppliers. This can’t be solved through donated goods. It needs a systemic response from government.

“Prices in remote community owned stores are also a big issue. This is borne out in every market basket survey. High freight costs and limited purchasing power mean prices can average 60% higher than at major supermarkets.

The coalition of health services, land councils and other Aboriginal organisations is calling for a 20 per cent point-of-sale subsidy of essential food, cleaning and hygiene products, as well as winter bedding and clothing in remote community stores.

“A direct consumer subsidy of selected items is the best way to guarantee that residents who are no longer able to shop around can afford the basics,” said Mr Paterson.

Community stores say invoicing the federal government for 20 per cent of their sales once a fortnight would place the least administrative burden on them.

“Already, remote community residents are taking backroads into regional centres to access essential and affordable supplies they can’t get at home. Towns are where they are most likely to contract coronavirus.”

“We understand fresh fruit, vegetables and meat are not in short supply in the southern states and distributers are actively planning to address current shortages in remote stores in central Australia. It is critically important that we understand how this will work, the CEO of the Central Land Council, Joe Martin-Jard, said.

“However, we believe subsidies on essential goods at point of sale coupled with a supply guarantee will make a huge difference.”
“We urge the national cabinet to take action, before it is too late, because time is all remote Aboriginal communities have on their side in their fight against the virus. We are all affected by this crisis, some more than others when it comes to accessing affordable food,” Central Australian Aboriginal Congress CEO Donna Ah Chee said.

“We want preventative action. This is all about making sure remote Aboriginal people can depend 100% on their one community store as they are not in a position to shop around. We have no more time to waste.”

The Central Land Council warns that unless governments ensure food supply in remote communities, residents will defy orders and continue to travel to regional towns.

“Governments have assured our constituents that they will have everything they need in their communities to stay safe and well during this difficult time. We are holding them to this promise,” CLC chief executive Joe Martin-Jard said.

“They must monitor the price of key food items in remote community stores and come down hard on any price gouging.”

“We need immediate freight subsidies and supply guarantees for these stores so they can reduce their prices and don’t run out of essential supplies,” he said.

Even before the pandemic hit, remote community residents paid, on average, 60% more in their stores for a healthy food basket and many travelled to regional towns to buy cheaper groceries.

With that option now gone they are forced to rely on community stores where food and other essentials are becoming increasingly unaffordable and scarce.

The CLC is concerned that remote community residents will travel in and out of biosecurity areas to shop in Alice Springs.

“In one community story a lettuce costs $10. People pay $5.50 for tinned steak when they could buy it at a major supermarket for $1.70. Some tins of food at that store go for $10,” said Mr Martin-Jard.

He has called on governments to boost emergency food relief programs and work with Coles and Woolworths to set up a separate online ordering system for remote aged care, nutrition and other services affected by the supermarkets’ limitations on bulk purchases of food and hygiene products.

“This is only fair, especially since Aboriginal people out bush are arguably the only Territorians who are struggling to access groceries at town prices,” he said.

On 20 March, the NT land councils and Aboriginal medical services asked the NT government unsuccessfully to declare the entire Territory and the remote border region with Western Australia and South Australia a COVID-19 special control area.

Under this proposed “we’re-all-in this-together” approach, movement into and out of this area would have become subject to a 14 day quarantine period.

“Last week, we consented to the government declaring all local government areas outside Alice Springs and Darwin biosecurity areas,” Mr Martin-Jard said.

“We were surprised and dismayed about the decision to exempt pastoral leases from the biosecurity areas at the 11th hour. However, we fully support the health intent of the declaration and are working with governments to make things work.”

The CLC is working with the NT government to administer permits for essential workers and contractors visiting these areas.

It is being inundated by phone calls from people wanting to access Aboriginal communities and land but not all of them deliver essential services.

“If you are a worker or contractor who does not provide an essential service please stop calling,” Mr Martin-Jard said.

“If you are please apply for a permit at remote.travel@nt.gov.au. The government will vet your application and issue photo identifications to applicants we approve.”

“Anyone seeking permits on compassionate grounds should contact our permits section.”

MEDIA CONTACT: Sasha Pavey | 0488 984 885| media@clc.org.au

CLC delegate Rayleen Silverton spoke up during council’s alcohol policy discussion at Ross River.

The Central Land Council supports the reintroduction of the Banned Drinkers Register (BDR) and calls for additional support for families affected by the Northern Territory’s extreme rate of alcohol consumption.

Meeting at Ross River, east of Alice Springs, the CLC delegates called for the racially discriminatory Temporary Beat Locations (TBL) policy to be removed but accepted that it needs to be phased out.

In their discussion with the People’s Alcohol Action Coalition CLC delegates voiced their expectation that the police resources freed up by the abolition of the TBL will be redirected to tackling the illicit grog trade.

The delegates passed the following resolution:

“The Central Land Council acknowledges the devastating effects of alcohol on Aboriginal and non-Aboriginal families and communities.

Alcoholism is a disease, not a criminal offence.

Alcohol policy should treat all people the same and not discriminate.

The CLC calls for

the TBL to be phased out, and for police to deal only with alcohol issues, not other offences or warrants on the temporary beat;

the BDR to be reintroduced in a way that targets problem drinkers and those with alcohol-related offences;

more support and rehabilitation services for individuals and families living in town and remote communities who are struggling with alcohol issues;

more education for young women and their families about the impact of alcohol and the risk of foetal alcohol spectrum disorder; and

greater transparency about and access to the process of seeking a permit or exemption for a dry area.”