The Western Australian government has blamed supermarket giant Coles after plans to bring fresh food to the flood-isolated East Kimberley on a military plane failed to materialise.
Key points:
- East Kimberley residents are out of fresh food after freight routes were cut off by NT flooding
- There was no fresh food on the first relief flights to arrive into Kununurra from Darwin this afternoon
- The WA government says Coles’ policy was to blame for neglecting to pack fresh food
The first of two Australian Defence Force aircraft touched down in Kununurra this afternoon with dry goods only.
WA’s Department of Fire Emergency Services initially spent a week trying to source a private plane to bring fresh food into the region before asking for assistance from the ADF on Tuesday.
Premier Mark McGowan told a press conference on Wednesday that it was his expectation today’s military aircraft would bring fresh food into Kununurra.
But this afternoon his office said that plan has since been scrapped.
“The state government was previously advised that the ADF would be packing today’s flight from Darwin to Kununurra with essential goods, including fresh fruit and vegetables,” a spokesperson said.
“However, we were later advised by Coles that their fresh food policy wouldn’t allow for this.”
Coles has been contacted for comment.
Supermarket operators and community members have been telling the state government for a week that dry goods are not the issue, rather they desperately need supplies of fresh produce.
Since Sunday, shelves normally packed with vegetables, fruit, and meat have mostly been empty in Kununurra.
However, most non-perishable foods have been well stocked.
The East Kimberley has been isolated by road for a week after floodwater in the Northern Territory surged above a crucial bridge on the Victoria Highway.
While water has now dropped below the bridge level, NT authorities have not given a timeline for when that road will open as they continue to conduct safety assessments.
Flooding in January severely damaged the Fitzroy River bridge, meaning the only option has been to truck goods in from the territory.
The WA government said fresh produce was not expected to hit shelves until Saturday when two sea barges with a combined total of 190 tonnes of produce, including meats and frozen goods, arrive.
The WA government’s response has come under criticism for being too slow, while Indigenous organisations have warned vulnerable residents in the community have suffered due to the extended period without fruit and vegetables.
