The Northern Territory Police Commissioner has written a letter to emergency stakeholders accusing them of spreading misinformation about widespread food shortages in flood affected Central Australia.
The Territory is battling COVID-19 outbreaks in dozens of remote communities with lockdowns, lock-in restrictions and federal bio-security laws being introduced. The region is experiencing supply chain issues as flood and road closures lead to food shortages, with shelves stripped bare in major centres and community stores.
NITV News has obtained a letter from Jamie Chalker, written on February 3rd, in which he accused community groups, including Indigenous organisations, of mischief-making over their recent pleas for help.
"It is not appropriate that matters are raised by the media or local members without you having presented them through the appropriate channel," the letter read.
He accused groups of spreading misinformation and urged against calling for Commonwealth support with 'finite resources'.
He said requests for federal government support can only be used as a last resort after local options and resources were exhausted.
"I need your support to stop the mischief and be part of the system that aims to serve and protect the NT community," Commissioner Chalker's letter read.
"Local issues should be raised through the Local Emergency Controller who will work with you to develop solutions, and can escalate issues in a tiered manner if it cannot be resolved at the community level."
NITV News has confirmed multiple Aboriginal community groups received the letter but did not want to comment publicly.
On Friday at a COVID press conference, Mr Chalker doubled down, saying an emergency hasn't been declared because "no emergency exists."
"We have had some disruption to the supply chain and it is being re-established," he said.
"The supply and volume has increased, and people are able to get access to the basics."
Attempts to resupply communities such as Ltyentye Apurte south east of Alice Springs have been frustrated by boggy roads. Source: Facebook: Atyenhenge Atherre Aboriginal Corporation
Foodbank: 'Government has no idea'
Foodbank is the nation's biggest provider of food relief to the most vulnerable, with demand running high since it established its Central Australian base in September.
The charity recently pleaded for urgent food supplies to be airlifted to Alice Springs so they could continue to provide for food programs in town camps and remote communities.
SA and Central Australian chief executive Greg Pattinson told NITV News that they had not received the letter but said the correspondence from the NT's top police officer was 'surprising'.
"I don't think there's anything wrong with people speaking their minds if there is clearly a fault in the process," he said.
Mr Pattinson said organisations were trying to follow appropriate chains of command.
"The federal government advised us that they would be able to provide air support, but they needed a request from the NT government," he said.
"So we put a formal request to the NT government through the Emergency Operations Centres, which, unfortunately, was rejected. "
He said supply chains for retail outlets were very different than those for food relief efforts and that the charity was struggling.
"I think there is this lack of understanding within the government. Food relief and retail food are completely separate things," Mr Pattinson told NITV News.
An empty meat case at Woolworths Alice Springs. Source: Facebook: Dan Tyson
Outback community store: 'We need more support'
But Narelle Walker, manager at Ampilatwatja's Aherrenge community shop, approximately 500 kilometres north of Alice Springs, said the community feels forgotten by state and federal authorities.
The community of about 400 people is battling COVID-19, in lockdown and cut off due to flooding with dwindling supplies and for several days was without phone coverage.
"For perishables and medical supplies we need more support," Ms Walker told NITV news.
"We just feel like we're being abandoned by the government ... we really feel that they left us to do this on our own."
Ms Walker said the store had received fresh food this morning with a trailer delivering much-needed supplies, although less than usual.
"It was only one trailer that came up today and it wasn't even full because they get split between the two stores... We usually get two or three trailers," she said.
Ms Walker said fresh produce, medical supplies and Rapid Antigen Tests were in short supply but that the store had enough dry goods such as canned and dried foods to last several weeks.
"There is just not enough kits to go around. We got tested the other day because somebody from an isolation house came into the store and my staff refused to work until we got tested," she said.
She said ten tests were used to ensure staff was negative out of fifty Rapid Antigen test kits that were delivered by helicopter but their expected supplies never arrived.
Nt Police Commissioner Jamie Chalker has written a letter to emergency stakeholders. Source: Supplied
