PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA WEDNESDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER, 1981
SUPPLIES FOR ANGURUGU
RAAF aircraft will fly out of Darwin today to transport
essential food and medical supplies to the Angurugu
Aboriginal settlement on Groote Eylandt.
The Government has agreed to the urgent request for
assistance by the Chief Minister of the Northern Territory
Government. The people of Angurugu have been cut off by the current
Marine Engineers dispute. Barges which normally deliver
supplies to the island have been held by union action at
Weipa and Cairns.
Despite three requests, the last of these this morning, the
union has refused to release the barge from Weipa which could
have delivered these essential supplies within 28 hours.
The situation at Angurugu has been described as desperate
and local medical personnel say there is a real danger
for community health. About 3,500 kilograms of essential
œ supplies including baby food will be taken to Angurugu.
The Government is not prepared to allow the welfare of this
isolated community to be put in jeopardy by industrial
disputation. 000---
SUPPLIES FOR ANGURUGU
5652