Naked butcher photos sees Kalkarindji residents throw out beef and sausages from NT meatworks

Meat is being dumped from stores across the remote community of Kalkarindji, the Gurindji Aboriginal Corporation says, after a photo of a naked butcher preparing sausages was uploaded to social media.

The photo, purportedly taken at a local meat supplier, shows a butcher handling sausages dressed in only boots and an apron, leaving his bare buttocks exposed.

Kalkarindji Traditional Owner and Gurindji Aboriginal Corporation spokesperson Rob Roy said the butcher and meat supply facility were “easily identified” by the community.

“That to me is one idiot who is treating black people of this community, Kalkarindji, very wrong and not with a lot of respect,” he said.

“To me, that’s making me think back to Vincent Lingiari, maybe that’s why he walked off the station, because he wasn’t treated fair.

“They’re just treating us like dogs.”

Mr Roy said he had asked local supermarkets to dispose of fresh beef and sausages from the meatworks.

He said it was a health and safety risk, and the community should not “eat dirty meat off their sweat”.

“I went to the main mob, our local community store, told them to empty out the shelf,” he said.

“I said the snags, the beef, I want it all chucked away and empty the fridge until further notice.

“I rang the school, spoke to the principal … and told him to dispose all of [the meat], because we’ve got a really serious situation happening here.”

Butcher fired, meat recall issued

The butcher, who has been contacted for comment, removed the photo from Facebook on Friday afternoon.

In a statement, the Arnhem Land Progress Aboriginal Corporation (ALPA), which runs a number of remote stores across the Northern Territory, including the Kalkarindji meatworks, said the man’s employment had been terminated “effective immediately”.

“ALPA has informed three stores which were supplied by Kalkaringi Meats to remove all products from their shelves immediately pending an investigation by the Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries,” it said.

“ALPA has taken this matter very seriously and has communicated with the affected stores and has issued clear instructions to ensure any customer who returns Kalkaringi meat products that a full refund will be issued.

“ALPA does not envisage this will impact food security and we intend to secure alternative fresh meat supplies until the matter is resolved.

The Northern Territory Department of Primary Industries and Resources said it was aware of the photo and had been in contact with the company regarding the incident.

Mr Roy said the company would need to work hard to rebuild trust with the community — and needed to issue an apology.

“It’s disrespectful, it’s an utter disgrace … we don’t know how long this has been happening,” he said.

“They’re not going to hurt this community again by having an incompetent butcher or person in there processing this beef and sausages.”

The meatworks said it would not be commenting as the matter is under investigation and the appropriate authorities have been notified.

(ABC New Darwin Australia)