Residents of the remote Northern Territory community of Peppimenarti say they have been forced to flee their homes or endure violence, including stabbings and sexual assaults, amid claims the government has abandoned them.
Last week’s planned visit from the NT police minister, Kate Wordern, to discuss the ongoing problems in the community was cancelled when her private plane had to be diverted due to unrest.
About 200 people live Peppimenarti, six hours’ drive south of Darwin. Residents are increasingly fearful of violence, and lawyers recently took a claim of racial discrimination to the Australian Human Rights Commission over a lack of police resources in the remote Indigenous community.
The chief executive of Deewin Kirim Aboriginal corporation, Ray Whear, said many in the community were living in fear, and the situation had deteriorated over the past four years.
“I’ve had all my staff leave. I can’t get any staff to work.
“I’ve got one lady that will come in and work as a fly-in, fly-out [worker]. But even last week she wouldn’t even stay. It got too dangerous,” Whear said, claiming his home and vehicle were broken into and he was stabbed by an intruder.
“I didn’t even bother to report it, police haven’t been doing anything.”
“This sort of thing has been happening continuously since 2021. It gets super bad or somebody gets killed or severely injured, or shot, a Territory response group comes in for four or five days and things sort of go quiet for a bit and then it goes on,” he told the Guardian.
Whear, who has lived in the community since 2018, said it was grappling with complex issues, including concerns about gangs and a lack of social support.
He described a recent incident where one woman was severely beaten over two days, choked and strangled multiple times and left with broken ribs, severe bruising and trauma but due to the situation was unable to be airlifted for treatment until the next day.
“They [the police] have never asked me for CCTV [of] the violent incidents. They’ve never asked for video, there’s been sexual assaults on staff; name a crime and it has happened.”
He said another woman was sexually assaulted and was taken to another community for assistance before being airlifted to Darwin for medical treatment, but she was not properly supported and claimed she was left alone and was so afraid that she hid in the scrub.
“She was violently beaten …. She was raped, sexually assaulted.” He said Careflight would not land there due to safety concerns.
“Sexual support services were supposed to meet her at the plane but nobody did. She was left there alone … and then went [and] hid in the bush because she didn’t know what to do. Detectives and the service didn’t find her until the next day.”
He said the community was in crisis and in urgent need of support. He urged the NT government to send in more resources.
“We need further assistance … I am almost 100% positive that the community would support federal policing assistance.”
“There’s violent attacks on men, the women, the houses. Burning of people’s cars, trashing of their houses. One lady has between 20 and 30 family living in her house because they are too afraid to live in their own house, in a community.”
Stewart Levitt, a lawyer who is representing the community in the AHRC case, said the community was being treated differently than mostly non-Indigenous communities.
“One has to suspect that there may be some racial element to it because you wouldn’t imagine they would allow suburbs of Alice Springs, or Darwin to be shut down like this. This wouldn’t be able to happen anywhere else.”
He is calling for federal assistance from the Australian defence force or the Australian federal police.
“It’s to protect the people, because the fact is that when the police minister can’t get into a town in their own territory, because planes won’t fly because of civil disorder, what does that say about the territory government?”
The NT government did not respond to questions asking if it was considering requesting further assistance from federal authorities. A government spokesperson said police maintained an “ongoing presence” and that increased resources are provided when required.
The spokesperson said there were complex challenges, including adequate accommodation and facilities, and that a new police complex was being planned to meet community needs..
NT police have been contacted for comment.
Information and support for anyone affected by rape or sexual abuse issues is available from the following organisations. In Australia, support is available at 1800Respect (1800 737 732). In the UK, Rape Crisis offers support on 0808 500 2222. In the US, Rainn offers support on 800-656-4673. Other international helplines can be found at ibiblio.org/rcip/internl.html
