Nestled between sand hills about five kilometres from their homes, about 150 residents from a remote Aboriginal community in the Northern Territory are continuing to protest at a makeshift camp against poor housing conditions and the federal intervention.

The community of Ampilatwatja, about 300 kilometres north-east of Alice Springs, is frustrated about overflowing septic tanks in their government-owned, overcrowded houses.

As health worker Eileen Bonney explains, the protest camp is a welcome break from the housing in town.

"Everything toilet's leaking and all that and sink," she said.

Ms Bonney, who pays rent to Northern Territory Housing, says her floor is often flooded with raw sewage and she has been asking to have it fixed for months.

The Territory Government yesterday said it had freed up $70,000 in funding to send in a plumber to fix seven septic tanks.

The plumber was due to arrive this morning.

The Barkly Shire, which manages the houses, said the plumber was supposed to pump out the tanks earlier this week, but the plumber's truck broke down on the way there.

Community members are also calling for an end to the Northern Territory Emergency Response, which they say has made them feel ashamed.

They are sick of being treated like children, they say.

'Feeling shame'

Banjo Morton, an ex stockman, says he has chosen to abandon his community because he is sick of income management, which sees part of welfare payments to Indigenous people in the Territory quarantined for essential provisions, such as food and clothing.

"I been feeling shame because they take away our rights," Mr Morton said.

The protesters have requested the Federal Indigenous Affairs Minister visit their community as soon as possible.

Barkly Shire president, Rosalie Kunoth Monks, wants immediate action on the housing conditions in the Ampilatwatja community.

She says she is glad the issue of maintenance and services has come to a head.

"Welcome to the real world. This is the reality," she said.

Ms Kunoth Monks says her pleas for assistance in the past have all been ignored by the Northern Territory and Federal Governments.

"Now the neglect that has gone on from the inception of these homelands has to be addressed now, even before we start talking about super towns and so forth."

She says many people in the Barkly Shire live in tin sheds and humpies and they are paying rent to the Northern Territory Government.

A significant increase in funding to the maintenance of houses is necessary, she says.

"That's the only way we can address the derelict situation that we find that is called 'housing'.

"They are no less than tin sheds.

"That's not only at Ampilatwatja, that's right throughout."

The Indigenous Health Minister, Warren Snowdon, who is also the federal Member for Lingiari, says the Territory Government is acting quickly to rectify the sewage problem.

"I think it would be most unfortunate if people abandoned their homes once they've been, once the issue of the sewage has been addressed," he said.

"I think they should be encouraged to move back to their homes.

"However, I don't deny them the opportunity, and nor should they be denied the opportunity, to express their views, however strongly they are held about the issue of the Emergency Response."

Additional reporting: Kirsty Nancarrow