Elders say Aboriginal communities affected by flooding in northern New South Wales are being forced to choose between dispossession or homelessness due to a lack of emergency accommodation as the State Emergency Service has issued an evacuation warning for the Namoi village near Walgett.
Dharriwaa Elders Group secretary Aunty Virginia Robinson said there was no emergency shelter left in nearby Walgett and most residents were not willing to evacuate to Coonamble or Dubbo.
Emergency services are now advising locals in the village to evacuate by 4pm Wednesday.
She said locals feared their houses would be looted if they left and did not wish to be separated from their families or their land.
"They choose to live here. This is their country, a country that was stolen from them and now they can't even get a roof over their head," Aunty Virginia said.
She said the group had been "disrespected" by being excluded from a Walgett Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) meeting.
She said there was "very bad communication" with the Aboriginal community, who felt sidelined from the consultation process.
What council had to say about it
LEMC chair Michael Urquhart said that particular meeting was for the committee only, and that the Aboriginal community were invited to the open meeting scheduled for Wednesday.
Mr Urquhart said the SES, Fire and Rescue NSW, and other LEMC members were just doing their best to help the community during this time of natural disaster.
"These are outstanding members who have come out to protect our community here, and to have somebody with such negative comments is just terrible on the part of that group," he said.
What the elders are calling for
The Dharriwaa Elders Group were asking the NSW government to turn empty buildings in Walgett into "appropriate" accommodation, with Aboriginal consultation.
They were also asking for security to be stationed in Namoi and Gingie Villages so that residents felt safe to evacuate their homes if needed.
Aunty Virginia said some Aboriginal people had found shelter with friends and relatives in Walgett, but were facing chronic overcrowding.
She said others were less fortunate and had been rendered homeless.
Minister for Western NSW Dugald Saunders was contacted for comment.
