Remote Indigenous communities struggling with skyrocketing food prices are still waiting to see if they’ll benefit from a federal government plan to reduce grocery costs. Of the more than 200 stores in remote areas, only 76 will receive subsidised goods under the policy. Jane Bardon reports from Maningrida, the Northern Territory’s largest remote community.
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00:00On a hot day in Maningrida, the local pool offers relief and a free snack for kids.
00:12Some kids don't get enough food at home.
00:14A lot of people come to my house for food. I just give out. That's what I do, I help
00:23people.
00:24Families struggle because grocery prices here, and in other remote areas, are double what
00:30they are in the cities.
00:32It's more the cheap one in Darwin, but not here. It's too expensive.
00:37Community members like Josianne Olsen, dependent on welfare, want Centrelink payments raised.
00:44Sometimes I would worry about my kids to buy feed.
00:51Community organisations can do little to help.
00:54Five hundred dollars on Centrelink for a fortnight. You go to the shop here, that's
00:58your whole pay going for food.
01:00The Indigenous Health Service says food insecurity is putting kids into child protection.
01:05Don't worry, there's a lot of kids taken away because they're not getting fed, because mum
01:11getting a little bit of money and she can't feed, you know.
01:15Local organisations here in Maningrida are doing what they can to tackle the wide-ranging
01:20impacts of high food prices. But they say it's not enough. They need more support and
01:25fast from both the federal and territory governments.
01:29I think the government needs to look at, if you want to be an Australian, you've got to
01:33be fair. It doesn't matter what colour you are, you should be fair. Or how far in Australia
01:39you live, be fair.
01:41The federal government has helped Maningrida's store pay for a forklift to unload its food
01:46barge and for store fridges. The community is waiting anxiously to find out if its two
01:52stores will be among the 76 picked from over 200 that will get some groceries subsidised
02:00from July.
02:00We probably need help from government to put maybe lower prices in our shop.
02:08The territory government gives remote kids free meals at school.
02:13That is important because in school they have healthy food. It's good for their health.
02:20It isn't offering any further food relief to the bush.