With the sudden lockdown of Katherine announced on Thursday night, following confirmation of the town's first case of COVID-19 community transmission, Ms Hersey said she was not contacted by anyone from the NT Government until she called that evening requesting a briefing.

On Friday morning, she was contacted by the Acting Chief Health Officer, Dr Charles Pain, but said she felt the conversation was less than transparent.

"I asked about the vaccination rates here in Katherine and said that we have been trying for a very long time to get those rates to no avail," she said.

"I also pointed out the discrepancy between the vaccination statistics on Senator Sam McMahon's Facebook page four days ago, and the numbers Chief Minister Michael Gunner gave."

OTHER COVID-19 STORIES

The NT government and the federal government calculate vaccination percentages in different ways.

The NT government's figures are based on the number of vaccines delivered in the NT, while the federal government tallies the vaccines according to the Medicare address of the recipient.

On Friday, this resulted in an 8 percentage point difference between the fully vaccinated rate of 73 per cent the NT government claims for the overall 16-and-over population of the Territory and the federal government number of 65 per cent.

The vaccination statistics in smaller, more mobile populations can better be measured by the 'jab in arm' method the NT government insists.

Because of this, Ms Hersey believes Katherine's vaccination numbers are inflated by transient workers and tourists who have been able to be vaccinated while staying in Katherine. She said Dr Pain told her the government allowed about 5 per cent inflation to allow for this.

"I don't think that is enough," Ms Hersey said.

"I know for sure that there were 192 mango pickers from Vanuatu vaccinated here, as well as all the tourists we have just had during a bumper tourism season, so that already blows those numbers out of the water."

"The government know that the statistics that they are getting from the Katherine region are inflated, and they're taking that into consideration when they put their figures out.

"However, I feel that their figures are rubbery at best, and there are no figures for remote and very remote communities.

"It is just not good enough following a vaccination education campaign which we know was very slow and poor. We want to know where we need to put more effort to reinforce the chief health officer's message to get vaccinated.

"You would think it's in the government's best interest to give us information - or is it?"

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Ms Hersey's comments were made following a press conference on Friday morning where Chief Minister Michael Gunner admitted to the gathered media that some of the vaccination rate information on the NT Government website was wrong and had been removed.

In reference to the stats showing the Barkly region was on track to record more than 100 per cent first-dose coverage, he said the data was 'obviously' wrong.

"It's removed," he said.

"This goes to some difficulty we've had in how the Commonwealth collates the data and uses the data.

"There are obviously some problems in how this data gets collated - it's one reason why we've tried to be as consistent as possible to use our data and inform our decisions. Because we want to make the best decisions possible and the vaccination rates crucial to that data."

Mr Gunner emphatically denied the incorrect data had been used to make policy decisions.

As Katherine's current critical COVID-19 situation develops, Ms Hersey said she was told the onus was on her to contact the NT Government, and she will continue to seek updates.

"I will be doing that, but it shouldn't be my job to follow it up," she said.

"It should be the job of government to let the local member know. Whether that local member is with government or in opposition, or independent.

"To me, that is openness and transparency and and just good communications."

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