'Patchwork' disaster response criticised as Aboriginal communities submerged in rising floodwaters

The NT's peak Aboriginal legal body has put their emergency measures to the Commonwealth and Territory government as Minister McCarthy called out the lack of mainstream media flood coverage on national television.

The streets of Katherine were inundated by floodwaters over the weekend. Credit: Facebook

WARNING: Distressing content.

As flooding continues across the Northern Territory's Big Rivers region, concerns have been raised for the "inequities and failures" in emergency responses for remote Aboriginal communities.

The North Australian Aboriginal Justice Agency (NAAJA) has called on both the Federal and Territory government to urgently fix what they describe the "glaring" issues in flood relief support.

“What we’re seeing is a patchwork response that leaves some of the most vulnerable people in our region without the same access to help as others,” NAAJA CEO Ben Grimes said.

“Families from communities like Wugularr, Jilkminggan, Daly River, Palumpa and surrounding outstations are displaced and struggling, but it’s unclear when or how they will receive the same emergency payments and assistance that Katherine residents have been offered.”

All residents were evacuated from Nauiyu/Daly River over the weekend. Credit: Supplied

Disaster Relief ignoring remote Aboriginal communities

The Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangement (DRFA) has been made available for residents in the Katherine Town Council. However, surrounding Aboriginal communities have been left in the dark, with NAAJA saying there is little to no information about their eligibility, payment timelines or where to access support if they're unable to evacuate.

According to Mr Grimes, these systemic issues have worsened the flood crisis for many, particularly those living in social housing and low-lying areas.

“Some households have lost everything. The system isn't built to quickly support them in a crisis," he said.

"It’s making recovery slower and more painful than it needs to be."

NAAJA has called on the Federal and Territory government to implement immediate emergency measures including an automatic pause on mutual obligation requirements and debt repayments for all affected social security recipients and in-person support from Services Australia to help people apply for disaster recovery payments.

They've also called for a freeze on rent for social housing tenants in flood-affected areas and that refunds be provided for any payments since March 6.

As devastation continues across the region, Mr Grimes said agencies must learn from mistakes and ensure that Aboriginal communities are included in all disaster response planning and resourcing.

“This disaster shows yet again how unequal access to essential services deepens the impact of natural events on Aboriginal communities. Governments need to act now, not just to fix what’s broken, but to stop this happening again,” he said.

Media coverage dwindling

Speaking to Nine's The Today Show on Wednesday morning, Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy criticised what she believed was a lack of media coverage on the flooding across northern Australia.

"I've just been out at Katherine. If anything, we've been trying our best to assist families on the ground there," she said.

"Daly River's been completely evacuated. There's over 600 people in shelters in Katherine, about 300 or 400 in Darwin. There's a boil water alert in a capital city in Australia.

"But there seems to be little coverage of that across the country."

NT Emergency Service (NTES) on  132 500 

13YARN 13 92 76

Aboriginal Counselling Services 0410 539 905

Lifeline 13 11 14