NT kava retailer bills Govt for $582,000

A Northern Territory kava retailer has sent the Federal Government a bill for $582,000 and a kava wholesaler is planning to follow suit, in response to a Commonwealth kava ban.

The organisations say it is a condition of their licences that kava profits go back into the community and they want the Commonwealth to pay for projects that had already been committed to when the Federal Government banned Kava imports in June.

Wholesaler Ric Norton from the Laynhapuy Homelands Association says the ban has left them in a difficult position.

"We have issue purchase orders for about $1 million worth of works in our homelands," he said.

He says the projects included building offices so remote areas could have access to the internet and buying a truck to help with road works.

A spokeswoman for the Federal Health Minister says the Government will buy back set kava that has been impounded, but it is not planning to compensate for loss of earnings.

Newshawk: http://www.napnt.org
Pubdate: Fri, 24 Aug 2007
Source: Australian Broadcasting Commission (Australia-Web)
Website: http://www.abc.net.au/