Concerns around vaccine hesitancy in some Central Australian communities following new data released

New data has revealed large discrepancies in vaccinations across the NT’s remove communities.

THERE are large discrepancies in vaccination rates across the Territory’s remote communities, according to new data released by the NT government.

A breakdown of the NT’s 10 largest communities from across local government areas shows strong take-up in the Top End.

It comes as detailed federal government vaccination data for remote parts of the Territory remains unavailable with jab percentages only listed for the Great Darwin area.

But there are concerns around vaccine hesitancy in some Central Australian communities.

According to NT government data, Groote Eylandt has seen some of the highest vaccination rates in the Territory with 70 per cent of residents at Angurugu having received a first dose and 48 per cent having received a second jab.

The rates are even higher at Alyangula – which includes a large non-Indigenous population – where 87 per cent have had a first dose and 84 per cent are fully vaccinated.

There has also been a strong take-up at Nguiu on the Tiwi Islands (68 per cent first dose), Borroloola (66 per cent), Belyuen (64 per cent), Maningrida (60 per cent) and Wadeye (56 per cent).

But there are concerns around low vaccination rates in the Barkly and Central Australia.

Just 14 per cent of residents in Ali Curung have received a first dose and 10 per cent have received a second.

In Central Australia, 19 per cent of Yuendumu residents have receive one dose and 10 per cent are fully vaccinated, while in Papunya 27 per cent have had a first dose and 12 per cent a second.

The NT government released the data following criticism from industry groups over a lack of transparency around remote vaccination rates. Hospitality NT chief executive Alex Bruce said the data shouldn’t be kept secret, given Chief Minister Michael Gunner had said the vaccination rates were a crucial factor in determining when borders could reopen and lockdowns could end.

Mr Gunner said he expected the numbers to improve as supply increases over the next two months.

“When you give people a chance to get vaxxed they take it,” he said. “As we hit peak vaccine supply over September and October we will drive the numbers up.

“As communities can often be small you will see large jumps in percentages quite quickly.”

The NT government had previously declined to release specific details for individual remote communities after health bureaucrats raised concerns the information could identify individuals in smaller communities.

But Mr Gunner’s office agreed to release the data from NT government-run clinics in larger communities.

Meanwhile, detailed Commonwealth vaccination data for large parts of the Territory is still not available.

A national breakdown of vaccination rates by local government area published by the Commonwealth Government says the data is unavailable for all regions outside Greater Darwin.

The data – published as part of “Australia’s COVID-19 Vaccine Roadmap” – provides a detailed breakdown of vaccination rates for states and territories.

But in the NT, data has only been published for Darwin, Palmerston and Litchfield.

The table was sent to the NT News when we asked Health Minister Greg Hunt’s office to provide a breakdown of vaccination rates in remote Indigenous communities.

A second table provides slightly more detailed information for Alice Springs, Barkly, East Arnhem, Katherine and the Daly, Tiwi and West Arnhem regions.

That data shows just 15.9 per cent of people in the Barkly region have been fully vaccinated, while in Alice Springs 43.1 per cent of residents have received their second jab.

Low vaccination rates are emerging in the Litchfield Shire, where Pfizer has been available to most residents for several months. Just 34.3 per cent of Litchfield residents have received their first jab, and 21.3 per cent are fully vaccinated.

Chamber of Commerce chief executive Greg Ireland said transparency around vaccination rates was critical, given they would determine when the Territory could open its borders and avoid lockdowns.

“We believe the data is available and we believe it should be more transparent,” he said.

Mr Ireland said he was concerned by anecdotal reports vaccines were going to waste in some communities because of vaccine hesitancy and called for a targeted campaign using high-profile Territorians to boost take-up.

He said businesses had welcomed the Chief Minister’s announcement on Monday that the Territory would be looking to “lock out” unvaccinated residents, rather than force lockdowns where there are positive cases.

But he said detailed vaccination data was crucial so Territorians could know when we are able to move to this stage.