Endeavour Group vows to engage further with community before beginning to build newly-approved Darwin Dan Murphy’s

ENDEAVOUR Group, the company behind Dan Murphy’s, has welcomed the decision to approve a Dan’s liquor licence for Darwin, but has vowed to continue community consultation before an outlet store is built here

Dan Murphy's parent company Endeavour Group has welcomed the decision to approve a Darwin Dan’s liquor licence

• Dan Murphy’s liquor licence transfer application approved for Darwin
• ‘The proposed Darwin Dan Murphy’s would have the most stringent set of alcohol control policies’: Woolworths chairman

ENDEAVOUR Group, the company behind Dan Murphy’s, has welcomed the decision to approve a Darwin Dan’s liquor licence, but has vowed to continue community consultation before an outlet store is built here.

A spokesman from Endeavour Group said despite the approval of its application, “we recognise that before a store can be built, further engagement with the people of Darwin needs to occur”.

“We understand that there are groups that have legitimate concerns around alcohol related harm, and we are committed to engaging extensively with those Darwin based groups that are willing to speak with us,” the spokesman said.

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“This engagement by the Endeavour Group team will be occurring in parallel to the Independent Panel Review announced by Woolworths Group this week.”

The spokesman said the company welcomed the licensing conditions the Director of Liquor Licensing has imposed.

“One of the conditions is that every customer must have ‘a legitimate address to consume the liquor’,” the spokesman said.

“Given this requirement – as well as the specifics of our RSA Management Plan – this condition will mean that we will not be selling alcohol if we believe it is to be consumed in public or taken into a dry community.”

The Independent Panel Review announced by Woolworths Group this week is expected to be completed by Aprils 2021. No work at the site will be done until the review is completed.

The decision notice from the Director of Liquor Licensing indicates the Endeavour Group has agreed to sell booze higher than the minimum sales price, set at $1.30 per a standard drink.

The minimum prices for the store will be:

• Beer – $1.35 per standard drink;

• Wine – $1.40 per standard drink;

• Fortified wine – $1.40 per standard drink; and

• Glass spirits – $1.35 per standard drink.

Endeavour Group has also committed to no selling cask or fortified wine in packages larger than 750ml.

Advertising on the outside of the building will also be changed.

“It will not advertise the Dan Murphy’s ‘lowest liquor price guarantee’ on the exterior of the store or in any local advertising,” the notice reads.

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS (provided by Endeavour Group)

Won’t this store drive down the price of beer?

No. We will set our own minimum unit pricing which will be above and beyond the Government’s MUP. This means that Dan Murphys is unlikely to be the lowest price on a range of cheaper products like certain beers, and Dan Murphy’ lowest liquor price guarantee won’t apply to products which are priced below that voluntary MUP.

Why would you open the biggest superstore in Australia so close to dry

communities?

The Darwin Dan Murphy’s would be the 14th largest store in Australia, not the biggest. One

of the license conditions of the Darwin Dan Murphy’s is that we will verify every customer’s residency before purchase, and that customers who live in dry communities or those who do not have a residence to drink will not be served. We believe that applying this restriction for every transaction - effectively stopping members of dry communities from shopping with us -

will go some way in addressing concerns that have been raised.

We have also moved the site for the proposed store to be further away from the Bagot Community in response to requests from community Elders and public health groups

How can you say that the store would be safe to operate?

In his decision the NT Director of Liquor Licensing has recognised that we are a market leader in RSA practice, a fact that is recognised by the compliance staff of Liquor Licensing NT through the regulator/ oversight of our BWS stores throughout the NT.

This exemplary record, together with the comprehensive protections that come from the imposed and voluntary conditions, reaffirm our belief that a Dan Murphys’ store can be operated safely in the proposed location in Darwin. In his decision, the NT Director of Liquor Licensing shares this view as well.

Why is the Dan Murphy’s in Darwin so big?

The Darwin Dan Murphy’s would be the 14th largest store in Australia. There are two reasons the size of the store is slightly bigger than an average Dan Murphy’s. Significant parts of the store would function as parking, a warehouse and storage area - not as a trading area. Due to the remoteness of the Northern Territory this would mean fewer, long delivery trips.

Will you comply with the BDR and MUP?

Of course and we already do so with an exemplary compliance record in our BWS stores in the Territory. Not only will the store operate under NT Government’s MUP (Minimum Unit Pricing), we will set our own minimum unit pricing which will be above and beyond the Government’s.

Community groups say you haven’t consulted - why are you progressing if you haven’t consulted everyone?

We have engaged extensively with a wide variety of stakeholders over the last five years with those in the community who were willing to meet with us.

We understand that there are groups who feel as though their voice has not been sufficiently heard, and that there is a desire for more consultation. We can confirm that no work will commence on the proposed store until the Independent Panel Review is complete, and during this time, we are committed to continuing to engage with, listen to and have constructive conversations with local groups and communities in Darwin.

Local Elders don’t want this store - what do you say to them?

We acknowledge that Elders from Bagot community are opposed to the development. However, there are also local Elders who do support the store. Our proposed store will not serve residents who live in dry communities, which is a permanent licensing condition of the store, and we hope that condition will alleviate some of the concerns of the Bagot community. The Kulaluk and Minmarama Park communities are the traditional owners of the land of the proposed site, and they have publicly expressed their support for the application.

Do you think opening this store would undermine the work done in addressing alcohol related harm in Darwin?

No, and this an opinion shared by the NT Director of Liquor Licensing in his decision.

The proposed Darwin Dan Murphy’s will have the most stringent set of alcohol control policies anywhere in the country. One of the licensing conditions is that we will verify every customer’s residency before purchase, and that customers who live in dry communities or those who do not have a residence to drink will not be served.

Over and above the other mandatory restrictions such as Minimum Unit Pricing and the Banned Drinker Register, we are committed to several voluntarily self-imposed restrictions such as what we will range and our own minimum unit pricing, which will be higher than the Government’s Minimum Unit Pricing.

Is this simply a grab for profit by Woolworths?

No.

The reason we have wanted to bring a Dan Murphy’s to Darwin is that it’s the only metro city in Australia that doesn’t have one, and the locals have asked for it.

Independent surveys have shown that up to 88% of people in Darwin want a Dan Murphy’s. The overwhelming support from the majority of the people in Darwin is the reason why we have continued with this application over the last few years.

Our aim is to be Australia’s most responsible retailer, and our ambition is to raise the standards of alcohol responsibility practices, as well as continuing to work with any groups that are willing to engage with us.

What are your views on the licensing restrictions being proposed by the Director? We are very supportive of the restrictions being proposed, which includes the fact that we will verify every customer’s residency before purchase, and that customers who live in dry communities or those who do not have a Darwin residence to drink will not be served.

The restrictions stop you from selling to people from dry communities how are you going to implement that?

This is the same as a temporary restriction that was applied to all NT licences during COVID-19, including our 16 BWS stores. Our teams have been able to comply with this requirement, and feedback suggests that this measure has been effectively implemented and well received.

We don’t foresee any issues with this being applied to the Dan Murphy’s on a permanent basis.

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