The Coalition for Healthy Remote Stores is comprised of 14 Aboriginal-led, Aboriginal-community controlled and non-government, retail, health organisations, research institutes and universities. We recognise the critical role that food retail stores have in preventing and managing preventable chronic disease.
We call for evidence-informed action to support storeowner and retailer efforts to improve the healthiness of food retail stores in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities across Australia. Immediate action is needed to reduce the health inequity experienced and improve health outcomes to support the strong future of communities.
The Coalition for Healthy Remote Stores focuses on issues impacting the food supply and food retail stores in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Northern Territory. Each policy statement has been developed in response to needs and concerns identified by community residents and organisations we work with.
Northern Territory Remote Stores Program
The Northern Territory Government is developing the NT Remote Stores Program to ensure remote community residents have access to affordable, healthy foods. The Coalition calls for the program to be developed in line with community priorities, evidence, and remote retail industry best practice standards to improve food security and create healthy remote stores.
Read our policy statement (PDF, 247.8 KB)
Food supply in extreme weather
The frequency and severity of extreme weather events is increasing and impacts the food supply in remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. The Coalition urgently calls for an approach to support remote stores to ensure continued food supply in these circumstances.
The Coalition for Healthy Remote Stores has formed from a collective desire to create change that positively impacts on the lives of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. Our thinking and decision making is informed by a human rights approach where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people are central to all that we do.
If your organisation is interested in joining the Coalition, please consider our Terms of Reference (PDF, 147.3 KB) to determine how your organisation aligns with the Coalition’s principles and meets the membership criteria. You may apply to become a member in writing, by completing the membership application form (DOCX, 17.6 KB). This application should be forwarded to the Secretariat of the Coalition (s.connally@uq.edu.au). Please contact the Secretariat if you would like to discuss becoming a member before applying.
- The Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation
- Laynhapuy Homelands Aboriginal Corporation
- Central Australian Aboriginal Congress
- Miwatj Health Aboriginal Corporation
- Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance Northern Territory
- Menzies School of Health Research
- Healthy Living NT
- Indigenous Allied Health Australia
- University of Queensland
- Monash University
- Food For Health Alliance
- Public Health Association of Australia
- Diabetes Australia
- Heart Foundation
In the news
- CAAMA interview: Pressure to improve healthiness of remote food stores, 30 June 2023
- CAAMA News Bulletin, 6 June 2023
- Healthier food environments needed to tackle NT obesity
Conference presentations
- Food Governance Conference, Sydney, February 2024
- Public Health Association of Australia, Preventive Health Conference, Darwin, May 2024
Submissions
- Australian Government Inquiry into Diabetes, submission 404
- National Strategy for Food Security in Remote First Nations Communities
- Northern Territory Remote Store Program