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Woolworths wants to build one of Australia's biggest bottle shops on the doorstep of Bagot – a dry Aboriginal community
I’m saying to the Woolworths’ boss Gordon Cairns,
“Why do you want to do this when there are plenty of alcohol places around? Please have a heart. We live this day-to-day. If need be swap places with me – I’ll come to your house and you come to mine, and then you’ll find out what it’s like.”
It’s really hard but we have to keep going and if we want to get things done we have to keep going and keep pushing ahead and keep on talking about what we decided we are going to do, because the decisions have gotta all be made from community people – that’s how it’s gotta be.
Helen Fejo-Frith
Bagot Aboriginal Community
May 2020
Hear from the community
Hear the stories of impacted community members below, read more of the history behind this development, and take action to support the Bagot Community in their fight to convince Woolworths to stop this development.
The story so far
For almost five years Woolworths has relentlessly fought to build what would be one of Australia’s largest liquor stores, an 1800 square meter Dan Murphy’s, on the doorstep of Bagot community, a dry Aboriginal community in Darwin.
Woolworths has pursued this store in the face of community opposition and concern, in the full knowledge that the Northern Territory (NT) already has the highest levels of alcohol harm in the country, and despite being aware that the proposed development threatens to undermine the successful alcohol policies that the NT Government introduced to reduce community harm.
Woolworths knows there is strong community objection to its proposed Dan Murphy’s development.
The development is opposed by the Bagot Community, members of the public, and organisations including the Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS), Danila Dilba Health Service, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT (AMSANT), Aboriginal Peak Organisations Northern Territory (APONT).
The NT Liquor Commission rejected the Woolworths application. In making its decision, the Commission found that “approving the application would lead to a significant increase in the level of alcohol related harms which already exist in this community.”
It is most unfortunate that the Applicant did not engage in consulting the local community prior to committing to this site because it would, in our view, have come to the realisation that this was not an appropriate position for any liquor store, let alone one the size of Dan Murphy’s.
NT Liquor Commission
Decision Notice 20 September 2019
Yet Woolworths continued to ignore community concern in its pursuit of its giant Dan Murphy’s store, refusing to accept the clear decision of the independent Liquor Commission. They appealed to the NT Civil and Administrative Tribunal (NTCAT) and then the Supreme Court. To date, Woolworths has not won any cases in favour of building this store.
Enter the NT Government. Introduced by the Minister for Small Business in November 2020, the Government passed legislation to allow yet another re-consideration of the proposed development. This time, Woolworths could have their liquor license decided by just one person — the Director of Liquor Licensing — rather than the independent Liquor Commission.
Since the rules of natural justice did not apply under this new legislation, the Director of Liquor Licensing was not required to consult with the impacted community — and decided to approve Woolworths’ application to build their alcohol megastore in Darwin.
Just before the announcement of their liquor license approval, Woolworths announced a review of their proposed store led by Danny Gilbert.
While the community is pleased to engage with this panel when given the opportunity, community opposition to the Darwin Dan Murphy’s continues to remain strong.
Timeline
Community groups criticise Woolworths for divisive tactics during push to build Darwin liquor store
“It’s wedging Aboriginal groups against each other. This is the game that they’re good at, big corporates, they love it, and we’re calling on them to cease it. Take a social conscience in all of this and listen to the Aboriginal leadership here in the Northern Territory and withdraw your application now.” – John Paterson, CEO AMSANT
Woolworths’ social responsibility called out over Darwin liquor store
Indigenous community groups in Darwin have hit out against the Woolworths Group for what they say is the company’s failure to have genuine community consultation over the construction of a Dan Murphy’s liquor store.
Director of Liquor Licensing officially approves Woolworths application despite strong community objection
Community groups disappointed in decision but vow to keep fighting alcohol megastore
Australian Financial Review: Woolworths Dan Murphy’s under fire over first Darwin store
“The Darwin Dan Murphy’s saga now threatens to become Woolworths’ version of Rio Tinto’s Juukan Gorge scandal.”
“Woolworths is facing scrutiny at shareholder meetings next week about plans to open a big-box Dan Murphy’s liquor shop close to vulnerable Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.”
Open Letter to Woolworths Chairperson Gordon Cairns
45 organisations and community leaders signed an impassioned open letter to Woolworths Chairperson Gordon Cairns. This letter was published as a full-page advertisement in the Australian Financial Review (AFR).
The Bagot Community, members of the public, and organisations including the Northern Territory Council of Social Service (NTCOSS), Danila Dilba Health Service, and Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT (AMSANT) have all been loud and clear in their demand:
“Abandon your plans to build a Dan Murphy’s in Darwin.”
New location for proposed liquor megastore still not welcome, say Aboriginal health advocates
The announcement that a Dan Murphy’s outlet would relocate to an alternate site fails to alleviate the concerns of Aboriginal community health advocates.
An Elder’s plea to Woolworths
NTCAT Directions Hearing for Woolworths’ application, setting out the timeframe for the case.
Research: Independent evaluation finds alcohol reforms aimed at cutting alcohol related crime and antisocial behaviour and harm across the Northern Territory are working.
Minimum Unit Price results in:
- 23 per cent reduction in alcohol related assaults across the Territory in 2018/19 compared to the same period in 2017/18
- 17.3 per cent reduction in alcohol related ED presentations in the NT in 2018/19 compared to the same period in 2017/18.
Woolworths lodged an application to have the case reconsidered at NCAT.
News: Should Woolworths’ board stop a morally dubious liquor barn?
A planned Dan Murphy’s outlet near three Aboriginal communities in Darwin could test the legal limits of directors’ responsibilities.
The Liquor Amendment Bill 2020 came into effect.
The Scrutiny Committee report was tabled in Parliament, The Liquor Amendment Bill was introduced and passed before Parliament was suspended due to COVID-19.
News: Dan Murphy’s bid to set up NT store enters fifth year as appeal heads to Supreme Court.
Woolworths applied to the Supreme Court of the Northern Territory for leave to appeal the Tribunal decision.
NTCAT dismisses Woolworths’ application on the grounds that it wasn’t open to Woolworths to make the application
“an application to the Commission pursuant to s 46A of the 1978 Act for the substitution of other premises, could only be made in relation to premises that existed”.
News: Woolworths Dan Murphy’s under fire over first Darwin store
Woolworths is facing scrutiny at shareholder meetings next week about plans to open a big-box Dan Murphy’s liquor shop close to vulnerable Indigenous communities in the Northern Territory.
Report: NT alcohol harm-reduction report
FARE & PAAC Report examines data following the introduction of the NT’s most comprehensive alcohol reforms, including the Riley Review recommendations. The data indicates that the measures progressively executed since the election of the Gunner Government in 2016 have had a significant effect in reducing alcohol-related violence.
NT Liquor Act 2019 came into effect.
The Northern Territory Government overhauls the Liquor Act 1978 in response to the 2017 Alcohol Policies and Legislation Review Final Report (the Riley Review).
News: Dan Murphy’s Darwin store plans rejected by NT Liquor Commission
Woolworths’ bid to set up a Dan Murphy’s liquor store in Darwin has been rejected by the Northern Territory Liquor Commission because it would increase the risk of alcohol-related harm in nearby Aboriginal communities.
The NT Liquor Commission denied the application for substitution on 20 September 2019, noting the “potential for a significant increase in harm due to the use of liquor, over and above that already occurring within the community areas”.
Take a closer look: Woolworths’ proposed high-risk location for alcohol superstore.
Bagot Community spokesperson, Ms Helen Fejo-Frith has lived at Bagot for 21 years. She represents her community in opposing the development.
Woolworths applies to NT Liquor Commission for licence: Since December 2016, the largest packaged liquor retailer in Australia has been attempting to build what will be one of Australia’s largest liquor stores.
In June 2019 Woolworths commenced its next legal action, applying to the NT Liquor Commission to open the first Dan Murphy’s store in Darwin.
The application was opposed by local Aboriginal communities, members of the public, and organisations including FARE, NTCOSS, Danila Dilba health service, Aboriginal Medical Services Alliance NT, Public Health Association NT, and Amity Community Services.
The NT Government announces legislation to reestablish an NT Liquor Commission.
The NT Government’s five-year moratorium on new take-away liquor licences came into effect on this day.
This completes recommendations 1.1.4 – 1.1.6 of the Riley Review, and is an initiative under the NT Alcohol Harm Minimisation Action Plan 2018-2019.
The Alcohol Policies and Legislation Review Final Report made a range of recommendations to reduce alcohol harm in the NT. The NT Government has implemented almost all of these recommendations.
FARE welcomed the review saying “the exhaustive review and its recommendations set a new benchmark for effective alcohol harm reduction measures…and will transform the lives of most Territorians”.
In 2017, an independent review into alcohol in the NT — the Alcohol Policies and Legislation Review (Riley Review) was established to tackle the high level of alcohol harm in the NT.
The Independent Expert Advisory Panel, Chaired by Justice Trevor Riley, undertook wide public consultation on all aspects of the current alcohol policies and legislation together with the Liquor Act.
The overarching objective of the review was to provide recommendations to the NT Government on evidence based best practice alcohol harm prevention and management initiatives.
Woolworths applied to substitute an existing licence for a Dan Murphy’s store and threatened to take the NT Government to court.
The NT Government amended the Liquor Regulations to make it a condition of a store licence that the retail floor space was limited to a maximum of 400 square metres.
