There are 100 remote community stores in the NT with over 50% of them managed by independent operators. We are scattered all over the NT and not united in speaking out about what we need to better run the stores we manage.
AIG wants to change that. We want to bring together all independent store management groups for remote community stores and begin the conversation about what we need, and what the government can do to help us serve the Aboriginal people who shop from the stores we manage.
Why a united voice?
Well run community stores that meet the supply and nutritional needs of the community are important to our governments. So much so a Commonwealth funded store management group called Outback Stores that was setup to ensure remote community stores are managed well in the NT.
Currently Outback Stores manages around 40% of the stores in the NT, and historically receives most of the funding made available by governments for community stores. What about the rest of us? AIG believes this isn’t a fair distribution of money and would like to challenge our government to be more inclusive of all groups involved in remote community store management.
Inaugural meeting called
Early in the new year, AIG will be coordinating an invite only meeting with remote independent store operators to discuss seven topics:
- Food security
- Suppliers
- Supply chain and warehousing
- Mobs Choice (AIG’s discount essentials range)
- Licensing
- Grant funding
- Peak body representation
Our commitment
In our submission into the federal inquiry into food pricing in remote Indigenous stores, we said it was important for independent store operators to be consulted by government about policy and funding decisions that affect remote Indigenous stores. We also proposed current consultations are not inclusive enough, and more work needs to be done to invite all players to the table.
We are committed to bringing together independent store operators and to start the process of consolidating our needs and the needs of our customers. AIG believes being united will make it easier to consult with us all. This meeting is the start of this commitment and while we believe it will be the responsibility of a peak body in the longer term, and are happy to be the driving force for unity at this stage.
Register your interest
If you are an independent store operator and would like to be involved in our meeting on JANUARY 11, 2021, please get in touch by emailing info@aiggroup.org.au
Invites will be sent out individually.
