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Woolworths Scraps Darwin Dan Murphy’s Development
NATIONAL NORTHERN TERRITORY
After more than three years of MGA’s lobbing, the Northern Territory Gunner Government rejected the Woolworths liquor licence application to build a 1200 square meter Superstore at Darwin Airport site, close to three dry Aboriginal communities. The project has been scrapped.
MGA (unlike other retail packaged liquor organisations, which didn’t object to this development because of their conflict of interest due to having Woolworths stores as their members) put in many hours of work representing the independent package liquor licences throughout the Northern Territory. MGA highlighted the massive negative impact to sales that such a large 1200 square meter liquor outlet would have on their businesses to the Gunner Government and, in particular, the Attorney General Minister Natasha Fyles, which helped to delay the application process.
There is no question that, ultimately, the power of public opinion halted the development.
The forty-five Health and Aboriginal organisations who, as co-signatories to an open letter addressed to the Woolworths Chair, Gordon Cairns, helped to put a national spotlight on the issue by bringing him and his board to account.
There was no consideration by the Gunner Government of the economic damage that the existing Darwin bottle shops would suffer. Northern Territory Chief Minister Gunner did all that he could to fast track the liquor licence application by introducing a new bill into Parliament, allowing the Director of Liquor Licensing to make a new and final decision to approve the Dan Murphy application December 2020.
This decision by Woolworths to scrap their application will now allow members to trade with confidence to build and develop their businesses within their local communities.
MGA will continue to monitor this issue once Woolworths demerge Endeavour Drinks to a stand-alone business.
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