For the residents of the remote Indigenous community of Mornington Island, accessing fresh fruit and vegetables is competitive.

"People all line up at the shop on a Wednesday, because that's the only time they can get fresh fruit and vegetables," Lardil man Lester Ben said.

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The only store in the community is stocked once a week, when a barge comes over from the mainland, leaving a thin supply of fresh fruit and vegetables.

"(The shop) will keep some in stock, but by the time it's Friday it's all gone," Mr Ben said.

This week, the remote community rallied along with Member for Kennedy Bob Katter to call for Federal Government funding to establish a market garden on the island.

The community has grown its own fruit and vegetables before, at a site managed by Mr Ben's family.

"Before, a gentleman used to grow lots of cabbages and tomatoes and some of those vine vegetables, like zucchini," he said.

"It's a good idea for a market garden, so people can keep their health in check."

Funding commitment for market gardens

Mr Katter said the Prime Minister backtracked on a commitment made last year to work with communities such as Mornington Island to establish market gardens.

"He agreed to give me the market gardens," Mr Katter said.

"He said in the Parliament that he is not giving the market gardens because the people don't want it."

Local community organisation Bynoe CACS has established the early stages of a garden on Mornington, but Mr Katter said more investment was needed.

He said Indigenous communities, like Mornington Island, needed better access to fresh produce to curb inherent health problems.

"Basically people are dying of malnutrition," he said.

"The fruit and vegetables is effectively over-ripe by the time it gets on the shelves and double the price because of the transport costs."

The Prime Minister and Minister for Indigenous Australians have been contacted for comment.

Council sceptical of gardens

The Mornington Shire Council were not present at the meeting, but Mayor Bradley Wilson said establishing a market garden could be complicated.

"The council is not against anyone having a market garden in the community, or on their land," Cr Wilson said.

"You're not going to just dump a market garden on traditional land and the traditional owners. You need to get the experience and improve the land.

"We've also got our saltwater and our bush tucker that we live off too."

Cr Wilson said an irregular supply of fresh fruit and vegetables was not the only issue causing health problems in the community.

"Our families haven't got malnutrition just because of fruit and veges," he said.

"There's a lot of stuff that's been introduced in our community like takeaway food, junk food, soft drinks, chips and all that sort of stuff.

"It's not malnutrition, it's diabetes and all that other stuff that's growing in our community."

More than 100 people voted in favour of establishing a market garden on the island, which Mr Katter has vowed to take back to the Prime Minister.

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