Northern Territory health officials have defended their decision to leave the community of Yuendumu in the hours before the police shooting of 19-year-old Warlpiri man Kumanjayi Walker, who died after being shot by police in a home in Yuendumu on Saturday night
A spokesperson for the territory’s health department said that staff safety was of primary concern, and that safety concerns over community unrest had been raised by medical staff in the town
The Medical Retrieval and Consultation Care Centre, which handles all medical emergencies across central Australia, provided clinical advice to police at the time, but did not immediately call for an airlift.