Kumanjayi Walker coronial inquest hears of 'significant' shortfalls in health services in Central Australia

Across Central Australian towns and communities, 23 per cent of all nursing roles are currently sitting vacant, while almost half of the mental health-related positions in the area are unfilled. Key points: The inquest is told there are "significant struggles" in attracting health staff to Central Australia Several local health workers say they have never felt unsafe there because community unrest is not "targeted" at them Health workers also say they feel "insulated" and "cut off" from the rest of the community The shocking statistics were revealed as Northern Territory Health Department staff continued to give evidence to the coronial inquest into the death of Kumanjayi Walker, who died after he was shot by a police officer in 2019. On Thursday, regional executive director for NT Health Naomi Heinrich told the coroner there were "significant" struggles in attracting and retaining staff in the region. Current Yuendumu-based general practitioner Amy Rosser told the coroner that sufficient staffing and opportunities to build "meaningful relationships" in the community would encourage health staff to stay. Fighting spills into clinic grounds, witnesses say Dr Rosser and nurse Sally Halton — who is the manager of the Yuendumu clinic — told the inquest that neither they, nor their current colleagues, had ever felt unsafe in the community, despite ongoing "riots and break-ins".