In the Northern Territory, independent food wholesalers are worried the federal government's remote food subsidy could put them out of business. An industry roundtable in Alice Springs discussed the changes before the scheme starts in July.
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00:00NT businesses and government bigwigs in the same room but not on the same page over the remote cost of living.
00:11Regional and remote Australians pay up to double what city residents pay for the same basket of groceries.
00:17Labor's scheme subsidising essential items at government owned Outback stores aims to address that issue but...
00:25It means that I will no longer be able to be competitive to sell certain products into remote communities because Outback stores sell it cheaper and there's rebates.
00:35Outback stores will receive a subsidy for around 30 goods to sell at their stores and supply cheaper to other independent grocers.
00:44Fifty million dollars in taxpayer funding was set aside to tackle remote food costs in the federal budget.
00:50So I'm effectively paying money to put myself out of business.
00:53The NT Chamber of Commerce keen to canvass alternative options including freight or point of sale subsidies.
01:00The freight costs and the higher fuel costs and just the higher cost of doing business out in remote communities is what we need to address.
01:09The Outback stores chief executive was at the round table but declined an interview instead providing this statement.
01:17Outback stores is particularly excited for the benefits this subsidy will bring for First Nations people and is well positioned to assist in implementing this scheme to drive better food security and affordability outcomes.
01:30Politicians from both major parties promise to listen.
01:33These are quite serious issues and these are things that we need to discover, you know, to look at and discuss and to have a commitment too.
01:42Certainly we're forming policy and we're learning by listening to industry members as to the best approach to take with regard particularly to this particular issue.
01:52No promises yet on when or what that will be.
01:59No promises yet on time.
02:19There are things done.