Focus on high markups

IT has been interesting reading the comments from both politicians and mainland readers regarding the the current inquiry into the high cost of groceries in remote communities.

After 20 years of living in the Torres Strait, here are a few assumptions I would like to dispel.

Setting up community gardens: this is the most common response from politicians ignorant of the biosecurity zones within the Torres Strait, which prevents the exchange of locally grown produce inter-island. There is also an incorrect assumption that community gardens feed the whole community. The small gardens in the Torres Strait help to provide fresh produce when the government stores run out, which can be same-day as delivery in a lot of the islands.

Grow your own: please do not assume everyone is unemployed or are rat-race escapists or has the time to then spend hours cultivating a veggie plot. While I do enjoy tropical fruit, it’s nice to have an apple or a few grapes from colder climes.

Fishing and hunting: great weekend past times but this 60-year-old doesn’t have the energy after work to hop in a dingy to go catch dinner at dusk.

Freight it in ourselves: yes, many of us do buy from Coles or Woolies and it’s still cheaper after paying normal freight rates rather than buying from the local government supermarket, which would have much cheaper freight rates. Should a mum have to pay $86 for baby formula because she didn’t order enough in her monthly shopping?

Set up a locally owned store: the reality is that you can’t just nip down the road to the local bank and get a multi-million dollar loan to buy land, build and fit out a small store, especially if you don’t have any collateral. No financial institution or investor will loan a $10 bill without a loan to valuation ratio of 65% in a remote region.

People in remote regions know they must pay more for goods, we don’t dispute this. The issues the inquiry are trying to highlight are the discrepancies of extreme high markups, poor continuity of basic supplies and discrepancies in how fresh the produce really is.

I for one would also like to see just a little more choice in produce. If you ever see someone in a supermarket with glazed-over eyes staring at the fruit and veg aisles, that’s me with sensory overload on a rare trip to Cairns.

Annie Stone, Thursday Island