Three experienced directors have been appointed to the board of Outback Stores, the Commonwealth-owned company providing remote communities access to cheaper groceries and staple household items.
The not-for-profit organisation provides First Nations communities access to affordable and healthy food, whilst also delivering supply, management and support services across more than 100 locations.
New appointee - Mandandanji woman Carly Forrest - has held leadership roles in community engagement, strategic business management and governance. She has helped advance opportunities for several Indigenous communities, and holds board positions at Deadly Science, Munimba-ja Arts and SciStarter Australia.
Geoffrey Thomas is an executive with more than 20 years of board experience, serving as a non-executive director, on advisory boards and an audit and risk committee member, as well as experience as an executive director in the supply chain industry.
Mr Thomas is a strategic advisor at supply chain and industrial property advisory firm TMX.
The third new board appointee - Brian Wyborn - is a proud Torres Strait Islander and Papua New Guinean who has held leadership roles in the public and private sectors for more than 15 years, in investment, governance and strategic areas. He currently is chief investment officer at Aboriginal Investment NT.
Indigenous Australians minister Malarndirri McCarthy congratulated the trio on their appointments and said she was confident their tenure would enhance the impact Outback Stores was having.
"Their expertise in community engagement, supply chain logistics, governance and strategic leadership will bring valuable insight and perspectives," Senator McCarthy said.
"The Outback Stores continue to deliver important work in remote First Nations communities, including our Low-Cost Essentials Subsidy Scheme."
The federal government last September reached a milestone in its continued efforts to improve food security across remote communities, when a 100th store joined the scheme, aimed at cutting the cost of essential items.
The initiative has had significant impact since launching 13 months ago, reducing costs of 30 staple items — including fresh and canned produce, nappies and toilet paper — bringing them closer to city prices.
The initiative also provides funding for warehouse upgrades to strengthen fragile supply chains.
Senator McCarthy said Indigenous families in remote communities across WA, the NT, Queensland and South Australia were now paying much fairer prices for essentials.
Government estimates showed remote consumers were saving up to 50 per cent on subsidised items since the scheme's launch.
In early 2025 the government's 10-year national strategy to address food security in remote communities came after state and territory support for a national food pricing code.
Ministers have highlighted the link between poor nutrition and issues disproportionately affecting Indigenous Australians, such as cost-of-living pressures and high rates of renal disease.
- additional reporting by Callan Morse and Dechlan Brennan
