Katherine furniture businesses feel betrayed by the Federal Government after almost half a million dollars was awarded to a Darwin based company to expand in Katherine.
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Custom Cabinets owner Jeffery Usher has rallied more than 30 local businesses behind a protest letter to NT Senator Nigel Scullion.
Senator Scullion has dished out more than $400,000 to a Darwin based Indigenous company, Innovative Office Furniture, to boost Aboriginal employment and training opportunities in Katherine.
Innovative Office Furniture owner Allan Lodge said the claims were “grossly incorrect”.
Mr Lodge said would prepare a response for the media tomorrow but didn’t “think it would make much of a difference”.
“We have no issue with the company who was awarded the grant, and we have no issue with funding for Indigenous employment,” Mr Usher said.
“What we are disappointed about is that the Federal Government has given a grant to a Darwin company to franchise here and compete in our market.
“The money could have been spent on companies that are already established here in Katherine that want to train Indigenous people,” he said.
“It should have gone to existing companies rather than bringing in someone from Darwin.”
Mr Usher said he was surprised by how sympathetic other small businesses in town were to his situation after the story broke on ABC today.
“They really got behind us and said we need to be a united front because this could happen to anyone of us,” Mr Usher said.
“They are upset about this, it is particularly damning that the government is bringing another business to town when there is already established companies here and the market is already small.”
Mr Usher said he did not want to be seen as a racist or against supporting Indigenous employment.
“I am really keen to support Indigenous employment and I do not want to bash the other business owner who got the money, or come across as racist. I just think the government has changed our economy without consulting us,” Mr Usher said.
Whitehouse Furnishers business manager John Dobell said his issue was that there was no local consultation done before the grant was awarded.
“It is not about what the business is or who they employ, it is that the government has given money to a Darwin company in direct competition with local buisnesses,” Mr Dobell said.
Senator Scullion also gave a $300,000 Indigenous Advancement Strategy grant for Binjari last year.
The grant was to help the Aboriginal Corporation grow its construction business.
Katherine Times has contacted Nigel Scullion’s office for comment.
