A remote Indigenous community in Western Australia is in need of support after a series of floods has jeopardized reliable access to food and services, according to the country's ABC News.
What's happening?
In March 2024, a small party of Pila Nguru — also known in English as the Spinifex People — was en route from Kalgoorlie to their home in Tjuntjuntjara, per the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. It was meant to be a 10-hour drive, but roughly halfway in, they were struck by massive rains. This flooded the road and left them stuck for several days while their community feared for their safety.
Jon Lark, chief executive of the Paupiyala Tjarutja Aboriginal Corporation, which manages the Tjuntjuntjara community, told The Guardian at the time, "... they are elders and artists, and their family is very anxious to hear from them."
The group was eventually rescued by helicopter, but the roads remained unusable for the next six months. The only alternate route is longer, and deliveries have consistently gotten stuck on the primary road, requiring their own rescue and repair. On one particular day, ABC reported back in October, five trucks were stranded due to these conditions.
It's an example that demonstrates the vulnerability of this remote Indigenous community — and so many other marginalized communities globally — to extreme weather events that are becoming more frequent and destructive as a result of rising temperatures.
Perhaps especially frustrating is that the flooding in Tjuntjuntjara is likely exacerbated by atmospheric pollution generated elsewhere.
Why is this concerning?
In 2000, the Spinifex People were the first group to obtain Native Title Determination in Western Australia under the Native Title Act of 1993, granting them rights to around 55,000 square kilometres — around 5.5 million hectares. But while their land rights have been secured for the past 25 years, consistent access to food and services has become unstable, in large part due to the impacts of severe floods.
Unprecedented flooding in the region has caused the residents of Tjuntjuntjara to face a lack of resources, as deliveries are obstructed. They have also seen dramatic surges in food prices when goods are able to get through, as costs have increased due to difficult transport.
"We know that remote First Nations communities are vulnerable to extreme weather conditions, making them disproportionately impacted by food insecurity," a government spokesperson said, per ABC News.
Floodwaters have also cut off vital services to Tjuntjuntjara, such as law enforcement, plumbing repairs, and heating/ventilation/air conditioning work. These sorts of challenges to access all around the world could become further pronounced as extreme temperatures and weather heighten the potential for conflict, compromise water sources, and make functional HVAC systems key to comfort and health.
TCD Picks » Upway Spotlight
💡Upway makes it easy to find discounts of up to 60% on premium e-bike brands
|
Do you worry about how much food you throw away? Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Definitely 😭 What can be done about Indigenous food security?
The Australian federal government has pledged to subsidize 30 key products starting in July, according to ABC News. The effort is part of a 10-year strategy to improve food security for remote Aboriginal populations across the country.
Lark told ABC News, "We can only hope that the … plans that we're implementing are going to have success."
The initiative also aims to build a nutrition workforce in vulnerable areas by training local staff. This strategy includes a plan to create dedicated governance, training, and support for remote stores. And it highlights the importance of investing in community preparedness worldwide, with increasingly more neighborhoods facing crop loss, food insecurity, impaired travel routes, and weakened infrastructure due to intensifying heat and floods.
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
