16 July 2026
Sea Swift has moved to clarify confusion around a Queensland Government subsidy scheme aimed at reducing the cost of living for remote and regional communities.
The Remote Communities Freight Assistance Scheme (RCFAS) provides three types of assistance to eligible businesses, including ‘discount assistance’, which reimburses retailers who offer a 20 per cent discount on essential goods.
A Sea Swift spokesperson said:
“While this subsidy is applied as a freight discount, reducing freight costs for
participating businesses, RCFAS is essentially a retail subsidy and does not benefit Sea Swift.
“Recent media reports about the RCFAS and featuring Sea Swift images have created confusion, and we will be consulting with publishers to avoid this in the future.
“Sea Swift is not a government-owned organisation and does not currently receive any government subsidies.”
Background information
Since 1987, Sea Swift has been keeping the remote communities of the Northern
Territory and Queensland connected, supplying fuel, medical supplies, perishable
food, and essential goods and services to customers across vast distances, often in
challenging conditions.
Sea Swift is a private, for-profit organisation owned by the QIC Global Infrastructure Fund (QGIF), which is managed by Queensland Investment Corporation.
Ends
Sea Swift media contact:
Kimberley Vlasic | Page One Public Relations
Mobile: +61 (0) 434 924 074 | Email: kimberleyv@pageonepr.com.au
