This report and related position statement outline the context and response of the Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress), to support recommendation made by the Coalition for Healthy Remote Stores. Congress requires that the Strategy must be evaluated regularly, at a minimum every three years, with findings to inform the next phase of Strategy implementation. Also that evaluation must be informed by community and conducted by an experienced third party. 

Congress commits to working on and advocating for the following:

1. Any approach to addressing food security in Aboriginal communities must be based upon the rights to self-determination of Aboriginal peoples as established under international agreements to which Australia is a signatory, including the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Aboriginal Peoples.

2. Support for Aboriginal groups that wish to live on their traditional lands to do so, given the clear physical, social and emotional wellbeing benefits that result including through greater access to bush foods and a more active lifestyle.

3. Advocate for a stronger government commitment to reducing poverty and inequality. This commitment should include a significant and permanent increase in the Newstart and similar citizenship entitlements for all participants, and an additional loading on such payments for those in remote or very remote areas to address significantly higher costs of living.

4. A direct to consumer, point of sale subsidy to address financial barriers and increase affordability of essential food, including fruit and vegetables, in remote areas funded by at least a 20% hypothecated tax on sugar, including all sugar-sweetened beverages, to rebalance the high cost of healthy foods against the relative affordability of unhealthy foods. 5. Advocate for an economy of scale store model, encouraging the collective buying power of small independent or community owned stores to access lower prices that can be passed to the community.

6. Advocate for significant increases in culturally appropriate and well maintained housing for Aboriginal communities, to ensure that Aboriginal families have access to appropriate food storage, preparation and cooking facilities.

7. Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Services are to be recognised as the preferred providers of public health and nutrition programs and other initiatives to address food security in Aboriginal communities.