Remote communities in the Northern Territory are still waiting on crucial upgrades to dilapidated morgues almost a year after federal and territory governments pledged $5 million to end remote morgue issues.
New morgues promised to four remote communities remain in design stage and upgrade work has begun in two communities while a further 16 are yet to proceed beyond designs.
Responsibility for the operational costs of remote morgues has been an ongoing issue, with an ombudsman report in 2012 revealing many remote communities are forced to store bodies in courts, kitchens and sheds.
Image: Remote morgues, from the Ombudsman Investigation
In January this year the ABC reported a woman’s body spent four days on the floor of an refrigerated morgue because no government or community body would accept responsibility for management of remote morgues.
A spokesperson for Community Services Minister Bess Price says upgrades in Jabiru and Borroloola are near completion, while designs for new morgues are “well advanced.”
