Real food, less junk for Aboriginal shops - BUDGET 2006
Patricia Karvelas (The Australian)
FRESH fruit and vegetables will replace junk food in a network of chain-style stores to be rolled out in remote Aboriginal communities.
Up to 1000 franchise-style "Outback" stores will take over from the existing stores because the Howard Government believes the outlets in remote communities are selling unhealthy food.
The Government will spend $48 million to establish the network of community stores, which will be able to get group discounts, unlike existing standalone outlets, and will be run with better managerial, supply chain, food-handling, nutritional and financial skills.
Indigenous Business Australia chairman Joseph Elu said the Government had asked the organisation to establish the new chain of stores, which will be set up with advice from retail giant Woolworths.
He said people living in remote communities would benefit through business and financial skills training and increased employment opportunities.
"Community stores are crucial to the economic, social and health interests of remote indigenous communities," Mr Elu said.
"Outback stores will actively seek to improve the overall wellbeing of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by helping to build commercially viable businesses."
Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough said the Government would try to change the land tenure arrangements so a private operator would eventually be able to own a store.
The Government wants to cut the dependence of store income on high-sugar or high-salt foods and drinks, and improve health in the communities.
Mr Brough said Woolworths would be involved in giving guidance and training on how to set up healthy stores. "Woolworths are on board in a big way as a partner in assisting in the Outback shops," he said.
"Until we do land ownership, the people who own it are the Aboriginal corporation. Ultimately we could do lease-back, and potentially individuals can start their own business so you don't just have the one store to choose from."
He said the Government wanted the shops to provide better quality at lower costs, be better managed, and bring on staff. "Nutritional value will improve an enormous amount," he said. "We'll be using the expertise and management Woolworths have. They are being good corporate citizens."
He said the scheme would use "the clout of a Woolworths to actually provide this rather than having a poor little isolated store that has none of those other capacities".
Mr Brough said the best way to improve Aboriginal health was to get healthy food into remote communities. "All they have is chico rolls, hot chips, with minimal nutritional value," he said.
"They currently have soft drinks by the crateload and chips by the crateload."
On employment, the Government will provide $126.5 million over four years for changes to get indigenous people living in urban and regional areas into job-search help through the mainstream privatised Job Network.
The new regime will apply only to new entrants to Community Development Employment Projects, the biggest employer of indigenous people since it was established in 1977, in regional and metropolitan areas. Those in remote areas will be given up to two years.
Under CDEP, a community creates a common fund from combined unemployment benefits, which pays the jobless to do community work and activities.
FRESH fruit and vegetables will replace junk food in a network of chain-style stores to be rolled out in remote Aboriginal communities.
Up to 1000 franchise-style "Outback" stores will take over from the existing stores because the Howard Government believes the outlets in remote communities are selling unhealthy food.
The Government will spend $48 million to establish the network of community stores, which will be able to get group discounts, unlike existing standalone outlets, and will be run with better managerial, supply chain, food-handling, nutritional and financial skills.
Indigenous Business Australia chairman Joseph Elu said the Government had asked the organisation to establish the new chain of stores, which will be set up with advice from retail giant Woolworths.
He said people living in remote communities would benefit through business and financial skills training and increased employment opportunities.
"Community stores are crucial to the economic, social and health interests of remote indigenous communities," Mr Elu said.
"Outback stores will actively seek to improve the overall wellbeing of thousands of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders by helping to build commercially viable businesses."
Indigenous Affairs Minister Mal Brough said the Government would try to change the land tenure arrangements so a private operator would eventually be able to own a store.
The Government wants to cut the dependence of store income on high-sugar or high-salt foods and drinks, and improve health in the communities.
Mr Brough said Woolworths would be involved in giving guidance and training on how to set up healthy stores. "Woolworths are on board in a big way as a partner in assisting in the Outback shops," he said.
"Until we do land ownership, the people who own it are the Aboriginal corporation. Ultimately we could do lease-back, and potentially individuals can start their own business so you don't just have the one store to choose from."
He said the Government wanted the shops to provide better quality at lower costs, be better managed, and bring on staff. "Nutritional value will improve an enormous amount," he said. "We'll be using the expertise and management Woolworths have. They are being good corporate citizens."
He said the scheme would use "the clout of a Woolworths to actually provide this rather than having a poor little isolated store that has none of those other capacities".
Mr Brough said the best way to improve Aboriginal health was to get healthy food into remote communities. "All they have is chico rolls, hot chips, with minimal nutritional value," he said.
"They currently have soft drinks by the crateload and chips by the crateload."
On employment, the Government will provide $126.5 million over four years for changes to get indigenous people living in urban and regional areas into job-search help through the mainstream privatised Job Network.
The new regime will apply only to new entrants to Community Development Employment Projects, the biggest employer of indigenous people since it was established in 1977, in regional and metropolitan areas. Those in remote areas will be given up to two years.
Under CDEP, a community creates a common fund from combined unemployment benefits, which pays the jobless to do community work and activities.
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