An Australian Easter 2016 – People starving at Utopia, N.T.

Rosalie Kunoth-Monks OAM, 2015 NT person of the year and Arrernte-Alyawarra Elder says that Aboriginal people living in remote outstation Utopia are starving.

Utopia represents sixteen remote outstations 260 kms north east of Alice Springs. Rosalie lives in one of the outstations with her daughter Ngarla and grandchildren.

Rosalie and Ngarla have reported that the elderly in the communities have not been receiving their regular daily meals as expected through the current aged care program. When meals have arrived they have not been nutritious.

“Last week after having to call for the meals, one elderly man with end-stage Parkinson’s received two small packets of mincemeat and white bread, the elderly women close-by received nothing,” said Ngarla Kunoth-Monks.

“The whole community including children and the elderly go without food, often on a daily basis”, said Rosalie Kunoth-Monks.

There are approximately 150 people living in Rosalie’s homeland surrounds and over 1,200 people living in Utopia. Hunger is not just happening here but in other remote areas.

Jon Altman, Research Professor in the Alfred Deakin Institute for Citizenship and Globalisation of Deakin University said, “It is an indictment of Australia’s indigenous policy that people living in remote Australia experience deep poverty and almost beyond belief that people need to endure hunger in a rich country like ours.”

Rosalie called for immediate help in food drop offs which was difficult to achieve over the Easter break. Georgina Gartland of ‘concerned Australians’ said, “the recently released Review of Stronger Futures was disappointing. The legislation should have been repealed and on food security there was no mention of freight subsides for the delivery of food to remote communities which would help make food more affordable. Indeed it is quite ironic that a few days later we have reports of people starving and others going without food. Much more lies at the heart of this, including deliberate policy coercing people off county.”

Rosalie spoke of profound despair in her community and strongly stated, “This is failed policy and a failed system! We do not want pity, we do not want hype around this, we want facts!”

Alastair Nicholson AO RFD, QC concludes, “It is a continuing tragedy and an indictment of Australian and NT Governments’ policies that Aboriginal people should be facing starvation conditions this Easter anywhere in Australia. Urgent action is needed to correct this situation.”
Rosalie and Ngarla Kunoth-Monks, Jon Altman, Georgina Gartland, Alastair Nicholson