‘We need help’: Northern Territory community wracked by violence as residents claim government has abandoned them

Residents of the remote Northern Territory community of Peppimenarti say they have been forced to flee their homes or endure violence, including stabbings and sexual assaults, amid claims the government has abandoned them.

Last week's planned visit from the NT police minister, Kate Wordern, to discuss the ongoing problems in the community was cancelled when her private plane had to be diverted due to unrest.

About 200 people live Peppimenarti, six hours' drive south of Darwin. Residents are increasingly fearful of violence, with lawyers recently taking a claim of racial discrimination to the Australian Human Rights Commission over a lack of police resources in the remote Indigenous community.

The chief executive of Deewin Kirim Aboriginal corporation, Ray Whear, said many in the community are living in fear, with the situation deteriorating over the past four years.

"I've had all my staff leave. I can't get any staff to work.

"I've got one lady that will come in and work as a fly-in, fly-out [worker]. But even last week she wouldn't even stay. It got too dangerous," Whear said, claiming his home and vehicle were broken into and he was stabbed by an intruder.

"I didn't even bother to report it, police haven't been doing anything."