The leaders of a remote NT indigenous community cut off by flood-damaged roads say children are becoming malnourished and adults are getting sick because they can't get enough food. For four weeks the NT Government has been flying some food into Yarralin after Cyclone Megan damaged roads. But after one more week of food aid, to be flown in by the Federal Government next week, the community has been told assistance will end.
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00:00 Yarlin's only store is almost out of food.
00:05 After six weeks of government subsidised flights, carrying just half the supplies the town needs.
00:11 This is what we've got left of fruit and veg.
00:15 And that's it, we've got nothing else out the back.
00:17 Pies, pasties, sausage fries.
00:20 We've got no fresh milk, no fresh juice.
00:22 No yoghurt for the children.
00:24 We ran out of red Monday.
00:27 We ran out Saturday.
00:28 Last Saturday.
00:29 Cyclone Megan cut off the community 600km south of Darwin in February, leaving damaged
00:36 roads impassable for food trucks, potentially for two more months.
00:41 I still can't get fishing hooks, fishing lines, got a couple of rods, but that's all I've
00:46 got.
00:47 Yeah, so people have gone out trying to catch their own food.
00:49 The shop's normally full storeroom is almost bare.
00:53 And because of the shortage on food, I'm unable to honour purchase orders of people like aged
00:58 care.
00:59 I've walked the whole town stops.
01:00 300 people are stuck in Yarrelin.
01:02 It's sort of like, really just, like cause a panic, you know, in the community.
01:09 Not much food to go around for all the families.
01:12 We're struggling here.
01:14 Underfed for months.
01:15 I have diabetes and now I've lost so much weight since the flood came through.
01:23 And worrying about their children.
01:25 Because of the nutrition that they don't have.
01:30 You know, feeling weak because there's nothing to eat.
01:33 And how long it's going to take for, I don't know, government to realise that.
01:40 They're asking whether other parts of Australia would accept this.
01:44 I don't think it would be allowed to happen in a non-Indigenous community.
01:48 The NT government says it's working with the store to establish a food security plan.
01:54 But Yarrelin leaders say many NT communities are left like this every wet.
01:59 I've just been astounded where every year there's no consistent emergency plan of right.
02:05 Look, we need help.
02:06 You know, Yarrelin does need help.
02:08 They're desperate appeals from people who've gone without for months.
02:12 [BLANK_AUDIO]