Subject: Cheaper essential items for Queensland remote communities.
TREVOR TIM, HOST: The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to reduce cost of living pressures in remote First Nations communities, with stores across northern Queensland and the Torres Strait offering cheaper groceries for customers. From Doomadgee in the west to Palm Island in the east, from Pormpuraaw in Cape York to Boigu Island in the Torres Strait, residents can buy cheaper groceries, thanks to the Government’s Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme.
Now with that, I'm going to catch up and yarn now with deadly sister, beautiful sister Senator, the Honourable Malarndirri McCarthy, Minister for Indigenous Australians and Senator for Northern Territory. And we have Malarndirri on the line. Good morning, sister. How are you?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY, MINISTER FOR INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS: Good morning, Trev. And good morning to your listeners. How are you?
TREVOR TIM: I'm well, I'm well. Thank you for coming to the program. Before we start, sister, let the mob know who your mob, where you're from.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Sure. My name's Malarndirri McCarthy. I'm a Yanyuwa Garrwa woman from Borroloola in the Gulf country and I'm the Senator for the Northern Territory and also so delighted to be the Minister for all our mob right across Australia.
TREVOR TIM: Yeah, beautiful. And look, fantastic news, my sister, in regards to cheaper essential items for Queensland remote communities. Look, we are struggling across the board, but this could help the hip pocket as well in regarding our good spirits, you could say Malarndirri.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: You're so right, Trev. I've been working on this for quite a number of years and I'm so, so excited that we've got 30 stores plus in Far North Queensland. And I'm trying to keep working on it across with Western Australia, with South Australia, with the Northern Territory. Your mob is really kicking goals over there. And this is going to be so important with those stores, Trev, that people are going to notice the savings of nearly up to 50%, nearly half.
TREVOR TIM: Beautiful.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: So, if you're in Kowanyama, for example, your prices are going to be similar to the nearest capital or nearest city, which is Cairns.
TREVOR TIM: Exactly.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: So, it's going to make a big difference. And it'll be on the essential items, Trev. I just want to make that clear. Like it won't be on bicycles or washing machines and things like that, or fridges. It's actually on food items.
TREVOR TIM: Which is essential, of course, and when you look at the distance in regarding remotes, every time something gets sent up there, the cost of it goes higher. And that's what I'm picking up in regarding customer cost. Bringing back to normal prices to people in cities like Cairns.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Absolutely. This is part of what I've been trying to drive with Closing the Gap, making sure if people don't have good food choices and cheaper food choices, then of course they're going to eat foods that are going to be no good for them. We've got so much in terms of the problems with kidney dialysis, heart disease, diabetes. So, this is also about making sure that we have good food choices and at cheaper prices.
TREVOR TIM: Lovely. So, the Albanese Labor Government investing, how much would you say in regards to investing in this fantastic movement?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: It’s a massive investment. We're investing $50 million over four years, Trev, to improve remote food security. But also it's a cost of living issue. People talk about cost of living in the mainstream, but they forget about our mob too, you know.
TREVOR TIM: Exactly.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: And so my focus is on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders, wherever you are. And this is a really, really critical policy that I'm trying to roll out across the country.
TREVOR TIM: So, when will this come into play, sister?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Well, pretty much straight away, really Trev.
TREVOR TIM: Okay, lovely.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: I'm happy to say a few of the names if you like.
TREVOR TIM: Yeah, please, go ahead. Yes.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Yeah. In Cape York, it'll be Aurukun, Bamaga, the Little Bush Pantry in Coen, Hope Vale Supermarket, Kowanyama Supermarket, the Lockhart River Supermarket, Mapoon Local, Napranum Local, Pormpuraaw Supermarket, Wujul Wujul Local. And you got Doomadgee Supermarket, Palm Island. I'm not sure how to pronounce the supermarket in Palm Island, but it's B-w-g-c-o-l-m-a-n Supermarket in Palm Island.
TREVOR TIM: Lovely. Don't go breaking your door trying to pronounce it. But the fact that they're getting discount price now, which is deadly.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: But I better learn how to say it. So, I might ring the Palm Island mob to let me know.
TREVOR TIM: Exactly. This is fantastic. And look, I said we are in the 21st century, 2025, and our people are struggling in that sense because they're living remotely. It's like they're being punished for living remotely. So, this $50 million investment is an investment. It's not an expense, is it?
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Well, it's about daily life. I want people to know that they don't have to worry about their food and essential items. And that means in the Torres Strait too, Trev. You know, we've got Badu Island, Boigu, Erub, Horn Island, Mabuyag, Mer Local. So, there's pretty much a large number of stores in the Torres Strait have also signed up to this.
TREVOR TIM: Yes.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: So, you mob on the Torres Strait who are listening -
TREVOR TIM: Good.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: - it's happening there too.
TREVOR TIM: Beautiful. That's fantastic. Well, hats off to you. Congratulations. Team effort. You're doing a great job there, my sister. And they said the best exercise for your heart is when you bend it down lifting somebody up, sister.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Oh bless ya. And Trev, can you just check in with your listeners maybe in a couple of months and get some feedback?
TREVOR TIM: Sure, get some conversations going. Yes, feedback.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Let me know how you’re going.
TREVOR TIM: And we'll let you know directly how things are going.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: Yes, I want to know. And if it's not happening, they need to let me know. And I'm sure that won't be the case because these stores are committed and they've signed up to it and they've agreed to it. But just in case there's any other issues, please let your listeners know. Tell them to tell you. And you'll tell me.
TREVOR TIM: I'll tell you for sure. We'll have that yarn, my sister. It’ll be a good yarn I'm telling you. Malarndirri, you take care, sis. All the best. And we'll yarn soon.
MALARNDIRRI McCARTHY: See you Trev.