Wednesday, May 11, 2005

Row brews over community store's credit system

There are claims an Aboriginal community in Darwin is on the brink of violence over a system which lets residents take goods on credit by signing over their finances to the local shop.

A former worker within the Bagot community says residents are turning against each other over the practice.

Natalie Hunter quit her job as financial counsellor inside the Bagot community in fear, she says, for her safety.

Ms Hunter says she questioned why residents' pensions were sent directly to the community shop.

She says the Bagot Community Council, the CDEP Indigenous employment scheme and Centrelink let the arrangement go on, locking people into a cycle of debt.

She says it is not clear who takes the shop profits but some locals have lashed out against those who want the practice stopped.

"One of the ladies has got a broken arm out of it and if nothing gets done there'll be family feuds going on in there," she said.

By Sorry 11 May 05

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