When power went out across the outback after a freak storm, anxiety, scepticism and fear rose in the dark.
Far-west NSW communities could not get accurate details about their electricity supply or where to get help due to telecommunications failures after the storm in October 2024.
That created an atmosphere of mistrust as unpredictable electricity black-outs hit Broken Hill and surrounding remote communities, including Menindee, Tibooburra and White Cliffs, for 19 days.
Residents were frustrated by a lack of reliable information, while rumours circulated about the actions of energy companies, local MP Roy Butler told an inquiry into the outages on Monday.
"There's always scuttlebutt, there's always rumours, there's Chinese whispers and you end up with misunderstandings," Mr Butler told the inquiry at NSW parliament house in Sydney.
"That just raises anxiety and it also undermines people's confidence in the next piece of information they receive.
"For my team ... it was really important that anything that we said to the community was solid."
One of the region's two back-up generators was found to be offline after the electricity lines were knocked down on October 17, while a gas turbine could not provide enough power for the vast area.
People could not call triple zero after mains power to 32 mobile and exchange sites was lost, while mines and businesses shut down and residents' food and medications were spoiled.
NSW Police Aboriginal liaison officers drove hours to remote Indigenous communities to let residents know what was happening, Assistant Commissioner Andrew Holland said.
But there was not enough warning from energy companies about periods of load shedding that caused temporary black-outs as electricity was being restored, he said.
Aboriginal Affairs NSW's deputy secretary Shane Hamilton said Indigenous community members were less likely to seek help at local clubs offering food and water.
"People would be generally reluctant to go to those places," he said.
"If they had experienced in the past any negative behaviour or racism, they'd be less likely to go to those evacuation centres."
Communities have suggested solar-powered information screens be installed in remote towns during emergencies.
Essential Energy was acting quickly to install micro grids - a localised back-up system relying on diesel, batteries and renewables - in small communities, Mr Butler said.
"That's a real win for everyone if we can make it work that way."
The inquiry is due to report to parliament in May.
