The NT government has "urgently" requested government employees assist with the ongoing flood emergency response at Howard Springs, as hundreds of remote community evacuees remain displaced.
Chief executive of the department of chief minister and cabinet Frank Daly sent an email — obtained by the ABC — to all NT government staff earlier this week requesting "urgent assistance" at the government's former COVID isolation facility in Howard Springs.
About 750 residents were first evacuated from the communities of Kalkarindji, Dagaragu and Pigeon Hole on March 1.
In the email, Dr Daly said the emergency response was likely to continue for "a few more weeks".
"We need to provide relief for staff who have worked huge hours in the early part of this emergency response," the email reads.
"The CNR [Centre for National Resilience, or Howard Springs] is a 24-hour operation and may include night shifts."
Dr Daly wrote that departments including NT Police and the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities were already "heavily involved" in the operation.
"I asked that all public sector staff consider offering their support over the coming weeks," the email stated.
An NT government spokesperson said staffing levels at the facility were in line with "the safety and welfare needs" of the evacuees who remain housed there.
"Multiple government agencies, non-government services and other organisation make up the workforce supporting residents and operating the CNR site," the spokesperson said.
Chief Minister Natasha Fyles on Thursday told ABC Radio Alice Springs that all-of-government requests for staffing assistance were "nothing new".
"When we have these natural disasters … we ask our general public service if they could please step up and provide us some extra hours, perhaps take some time away from their job day-to-day and come out and help run a facility such as that," she said.
Services 'tested' but stepping up
The Katherine West Health board is the health service provider for the three flood-affected communities, and among 10 non-government agencies that are supporting the ongoing operation.
The board's chief executive Simon Cooney said his staff have been working around the clock to support community members both at the facility and at home.
"As people were brought through Katherine and up to Darwin, we provided a lot of social support, transport, and just generalised emotional support to community members who were being evacuated," Mr Cooney said.
"It's definitely been hard, and it has put a lot of strain and additional pressure on our service.
"However, we see it as an obligation of ours to make sure that our clients get a good service, wherever they are."
Foodbank NT has been supplying evacuees with food through their time in Howard Springs, with the charity's current focus providing hampers for returning residents to tide them over during their first few days back home.
The charity's executive Peter Chandler said staffing the response had been a challenge, especially with demand also rising for Foodbank's services in the wider community.
"This is a really different set of circumstances than what we've seen before," he said.
"The longevity of it has tested everybody."
But he said whenever the call for more help had gone out, employees and volunteers stepped up to meet demand.
The Salvation Army NT, which has been managing the distribution of food at Howard Springs, said the organisation had been bringing in interstate crews and even retirees to assist.
"We have flown teams up from New South Wales and Queensland to give some relief to Salvation Army officers who have been out there every day," said Salvation Army NT PR manager Sally Courtney.
'We couldn't manage here just with local Salvation Army employees'
A long road to recovery
The NT government has confirmed 185 residents have returned to Kalkarindji since the repatriation effort began last week, with more expected to continue returning home in the coming days.
"This will continue in stages as their homes are repaired and cleared for occupancy," a spokesperson said.
"The first repatriation to Daguragu is expected after Easter."
There are 579 evacuees still at the Howard Springs facility.
While essential services and road access have been restored in Kalkarindji and Daguragu, there is still work to be done before Pigeon Hole residents can begin returning home.
"In Pigeon Hole, power, water and sewerage have been restored, however there is no road access as yet, no telecommunications, no fuel and buildings are damaged," the spokesperson said.
"As such there is no set date for repatriations to that community to commence."
The spokesperson said there would also be repairs required at the facility because of damage sustained by residents.
"In addition to expected wear and tear, there has been some damage sustained to infrastructure and facilities at CNR, such as broken windows and chattels," they said.
Mr Cooney said evacuees had suffered a stressful few weeks.
"There's stories from a lot of our community members of just watching all of their possessions disappear under the floodwaters," he said.
"They are desperate to get home, they really want to go and get back into their own community. And I guess, to some extent, to assess the damage and remove some of that anxiety about what is happening at their place."
