NT flooding 2024: Pigeon Hole evacuees hit back at Chief Minister over flood disaster

Flood evacuees from Pigeon Hole say they are ‘terrified’ of losing everything again after a second evacuation in as many wet seasons – with residents accusing the government of “not really listening” to them. The Chief Minister’s response.

Northern Land Council Victoria River District executive council member Raymond Hector. Picture: NLC

Residents in Pigeon Hole/Nitjpurru, south of Katherine, say back-to-back floods have left them “terrified” of losing everything again, with continued government inaction “traumatising for our people”.

Community members were evacuated from the area for the second year in a row last month after their homes were again inundated by floodwaters.

After Pigeon Hole residents raised concerns about the town remaining in the flood zone last month, Remote Housing and Homelands Minister Selena Uibo said discussions were currently under way “to identify a suitable location to relocate these houses”.

But Chief Minister Eva Lawler this week told the ABC “you’ll find that there’ll be people who don’t want to move”.

On Thursday afternoon, Northern Land Council Victoria River District executive council member Raymond Hector hit back at the statement, saying “that’s just false”.

Flooding at Pigeon Hole (Nitjpurru) in January. Picture: Northern Land Council

“Everyone in Nitjpurru wants to relocate our community out of the flood plain,” he said.

“We’ve had back-to-back floods now, (it’s) clearly not a once-in-100-years thing.

“It’s an urgent situation that can no longer be ignored.

“Over the next few weeks we need the Chief Minister to sit down with us, to hear our experience, and work with us to plan the move.

Mr Hector said Ms Lawler’s comments showed “the leadership is not really listening to us”.

“In meetings in July 2021, our member Chancey Paech acknowledged our consistent calls to relocate, and in March 2023, with the NLC, we wrote to Mr Paech, then Housing Minister, to again request our relocation out of the flood zone,” he said.

“This situation is traumatising for our people, we need it to change, we must move ahead with a permanent solution.

“At Nitjpurru the worry doesn’t stop — we’re often encircled in water, people continually monitor rainfall, losing sleep terrified that it’s going to flood.

“It’s not safe — at any time, we could lose all of our possession to the waters.”

Ms Lawler said she “would be happy to sit down with Pigeon Hole community members to discuss relocation plans”.

“I agree the community should be moved to higher ground and the government has been working with stakeholders to get this done,” she said.

“My job and my government’s job is to act and listen to Territorians – that’s what I am focused on doing.”