Food security

NT Remote Stores Program

The Northern Territory (NT) Government is developing the NT Remote Stores Program.

The program is designed to improve the availability and variety of healthy food and drinks in remote areas; and to make sure the NT Government gives the right support to community stores.

Health Protection is implementing the program, supported by a small operational and policy development team based in Darwin, Alice Springs and Nhulunbuy.

Authorised officers ensure that businesses comply with the legislative requirements associated with remote community stores and food security under Part 7A of the Food Act 2004.

Community stores declared for inclusion in the program under section 84A of the Food Act 2004 are required to comply with food security standards.

A map of declared community stores is available on the Declared Community Stores Map.

Next steps

Authorised officers will continue to conduct annual store assessments for declared community stores.

A review on Part 7A of the Food Act 2004 will be conducted by October 2026 in accordance with legislative requirements.

The NT Government recognises the importance of remote community stores and will continue to provide support and information to remote community stores.

Program documents

• Food Act 2004
• Food security standards PDF (418.6 KB)
• Store size classification matrix PDF (72.9 KB)

NT Government Gazette notifications of Declaration of Community Stores

• Government Gazette No. G15 18 July 2024 PDF (107.4 KB)
• Government Gazette No. S82 15 August 2024 PDF (153.3 KB)

More Information

To contact the NT Remote Stores Program team, email ntremote.stores@nt.gov.au or call 08 899 97522.

All NT food businesses must be registered pursuant to the Food Act 2004. For more information, go to the Northern Territory Government website.

National Strategy for Food Security in Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities

The National Strategy for Food Security in Remote Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities was developed in partnership with the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community-controlled sector and relevant state and territory governments, including the NT Government.

The strategy aims to improve coordination and collaboration across levels of government and with remote communities. The vision is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on Country and in remote communities are healthy and food secure.

Early Australian Government actions that will contribute to achievement of the strategy’s intended outcomes include:

• Nutrition workforce - establishing an in-store nutrition workforce in over 100 remote stores. This will upskill a local First Nations workforce to support consumers to make healthier choices.
• Remote First Nation community stores subsidies - reducing the costs of around 30 essential products to help ease cost of living pressures and improve food security in remote communities.

For more information about the strategy, go to the Australian Government's NIAA website.