The Northern Land Council has urged all levels of government to listen to Aboriginal voices in the development and roll-out of disaster management in the wake of historic flooding across the Top End

Over the past few months, residents from remote Aboriginal communities across the Northern Territory's Big Rivers region have been impacted by severe weather and unprecedented flooding.

The Northern Land Council said on Tuesday that residents have in some cases faced multiple evacuations, inconsistent levels of care across evacuation centres, and serious concerns around food security.

The Council said emergency management plans must take into consideration the cultural and remote needs of community members so that relief is delivered in an effective and safe way, and that "the only way this can happen is by listening to people who have first-hand experience of these natural disasters and disaster relief efforts... followed by support for these solutions".

Northern Land Council Chair, Matthew Ryan, said that while natural disasters are not new in the Territory, the scale of the recent flooding however has "shown what happens when you don't have good systems in place to support vulnerable community members".

"We want to see better coordination of the emergency response and more shelters built," Mr Ryan said.

"In 2025, we met with the relevant Territory and national agencies about this issue. It's clear we weren't heard.

"This work can't wait another wet season. Both levels of government need to start talking to Aboriginal people and figure out a better way forward."

The NLC said it has written to the relevant Territory and Federal ministers, calling for them to meet with community leaders from across the impacted communities to hear concerns about conditions at evacuation centres and the emergency response.

"For years, Traditional Owners and the Northern Land Council have advocated strongly for Aboriginal leaders to have a seat at the decision-making table before, during and after a natural disaster occurs," the Council's statement said.

The Council noted it has consistently advocated for a series of measures:

- Evacuation centres to be located within close proximity to remote communities across the NLC region;

- Emergency shelters and evacuation centres that are culturally safe and support cultural and kinship practices; agreed level of support within emergency shelters and evacuation centres, including food, sanitary and bedding supplies to be established;

- Open and consistent communication with Traditional Owners, community leaders and Aboriginal people before, during and following an emergency incident; and

- Early communication and notification of upcoming/ potential emergency incidents to support Traditional Owners and community members in order to make informed decisions around evacuation and other preventive measures.

"This work must begin now," the NLC said, adding that it looks forward to working with all levels of government to develop an effective disaster management approach.

National Indigenous Times asked the office of Chief Minister Lia Finocchiaro if the Chief Minister, who is the Territory's minister for emergency services, would meet with communities to hear their concerns and if the NT government would implement the reforms advocated by the NLC.

A spokesperson for the Territory government responded that the government "regularly meets with NLC, and the Chief Minister met with one of their key representatives last week".

National Indigenous Times also contacted the federal government for comment.