The ABC reports that some parts of the NT are paying as much as $74 for a jar of coffee and fresh milk is $8 for two litres. That’s outrageous. How come Tasmanian freight is subsidised by the federal government but not other remote areas?
Nescafe instant coffee 1kg is $74 in the NT. What can be done?
WreckTangle on 25/06/2022 - 12:29
Comments
Coffee mule!
Ramingining looks pretty remote. I can sort of understand why it's so expensive.
What can be done
Dont drink instant.
"Some parts of the NT" is actually remote outback communities. These products are not that price in Darwin or any of the larger population sites. Only the remote Aboriginal communities, because the increase in product prices is increased again by the increased freight costs resulting from increased fuel costs.
Buy real coffee instead?
Many years ago I went up to the NT to teach primary school in a town that was all Aboriginies. I loved it, but the grocery store was owned by a white Aussie that would charge exorbitant rates for groceries (Far more than it would cost to bring them to the town) and these people had no choice but to pay them. I tried speaking to him about it but he didn't give a (profanity). So neither would I. Once a month I would take people's grocery orders and drive into Alice Springs and buy them. They could save hundreds. The drive took me a few hours each way but it was worth it.
Yep, the stores in Aboriginal communities are often set up to make big bucks for the owner/manager. To an extent it makes sense as the population and sales volume is low and people want to earn a lot in exchange for living remotely. Ideally these stores should change to a coop type model and employ locals. I think the barriers are often capital to get it off the ground and lack of people with the business management skills. Many families will go into their closest town be it Alice, Darwin, Tennant or Katherine for groceries in bulk - with one limitation being the people on low incomes often can’t afford too much in ‘bulk’. I do think it’s getting better in some communities from what I hear.
Yes, a similar issue occurs in a particular SA township. It's a despicable practice.
Buy a better coffee
obviously haven't searched online …
But that's sort-of dancing around what I think OP was getting at - as the ABC article that OP linked to was more about "in store buying" at regional sites.Anyhow - if i was living there … here's how I'd save afew $$$.
2x online stores come to mind (one of them actually provides DIRECT to schools/businesses nationwide - for similar supplies). Their prices are … Nescafe blend 43 1kg … $20.99 / $25.85.
The 1st site (at $20.99) - (warehouse is on East Coast) - has free delivery for metro in all states, $16.50 for regional/country … then $27.50 for remote country areas AU wide.
So at $48.50 for online ordering + delivery to remote (NT) areas … still far less than $74 mentioned in OP's topic.
What needs to happen is the Govt needs to take over the store, run and supply them.
It would allow:
Locals to be employed and to determine stock suitable for local needs
Govt to eat losses
Govt to engage in other programs on site such as promoting healthy eating, quit smoking and alcohol
Provide a backup supply chain in disastersI bought from Amazon.com.au
https://www.amazon.com.au/Nescafe-Blend-Coffee-Twin-Pack/dp/…
$48.95+9.50*
*May vary on locationSurpringly only $15 postage to Wadeye, but it'll take 2-3 weeks to get there.
So it has nothing to do with the coffee shortage that is coming
Don't live so far out.
Or, if you think "something should be done", open up your own grocery and undercut the existing one.
damn
buy a boot full for instant coffee and sell on the streets in NT?