A planned Dan Murphy s megastore in Darwin has been scrapped by owners Woolworths after months of protests by Indigenous leaders who claimed the move put profits before the community.
The Dan Murphy s megastore at Darwin Airport has been in the sights of the local Danila Dilba Health Service, which launched legal action last month.
The group objected to the Northern Territory government s decision to approve the bottle shop - which would have been the largest in the NT - and demanded the accompanying liquor licence be revoked.
A render of the planned Dan Murphy s at Darwin Airport (pictured) that has been scrapped by Woolworths after protests from Indigenous leaders
The proposed liquor outlet would have been in close proximity to three Indigenous dry communities.
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Controversial plans to build a Dan Murphy’s megastore near Darwin Airport have been scrapped, parent company Woolworths Group announced today.
Indigenous groups have been protesting against the plans for nearly six years. Today’s win came after Woolies’ Endeavour Group was found by an independent panel to have not consulted stakeholders sufficiently enough.
“The Gilbert Review has made it clear that we did not do enough in this community to live up to the best practice engagement to which we hold ourselves accountable,” Woolworths Group Chairman, Gordon Cairns said in a statement.
The letter says Woolworths has “relentlessly” fought to build the Dan Murphy’s outlet despite strong community opposition and “in the full knowledge that this store will increase alcohol harm.” It says such behaviour is inconsistent with Woolworths’ commitments to, and their vision for, reconciliation.
Woolworths’ RAP says the company aims to build
“strong and lasting relationships with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, based on principles of equal partnership, social justice and respect for past history in order to make a positive impact where it is needed most.”
Danila Dilba Aboriginal health service chief executive, Olga Havnen, says Woolworths’ actions over the last five years “have not even come close” to meeting those goals.