Andrea Woodley, a domestic violence survivor and First Nations woman, has been hospitalized repeatedly with sepsis caused by infected blisters from sleeping rough in inner-city Perth. Her mother, Heather Taylor, fears for her life as doctors warned she could die without safe housing, yet she was discharged to the streets.
Medical Crisis and Housing Despair
Woodley, a Noongar, Budimaya, and Nyikina woman, has been on the priority public housing list in Western Australia since 2023. Despite nearly dying from sleeping rough, she still faces a two-year wait. Her sepsis has spread to her heart and lungs, requiring careful treatment that is impossible without stable housing.
Taylor, who lives 2,000 km away in Derby, received a call from doctors stating that Woodley had bacterial pneumonia and septicemia. "The doctor said you could die," Taylor recalled, urging her daughter to be careful.
Discharged to the Streets
Woodley was discharged from Armadale Hospital back to homelessness. Taylor worries she cannot manage antibiotics or outpatient care, nor access proper clothing to protect her infected feet. Woodley’s phone was stolen after discharge, leaving her uncontactable.
Woodley has been sleeping rough since 2023 after her Broome home was firebombed by a stalker. She left the Kimberley due to safety fears. Her mother says the streets expose her to further violence, especially now that she can barely walk.
"She can’t run or anything, and that’s why she’s afraid," Taylor said. "I’m really frightened that something’s gonna happen to her. The next time she gets sick, it might be too late."
Advocates Demand Action
Dr. Betsy Buchanan from Daydawn, a Catholic advocacy group, has written to the WA housing department and the housing minister. She informed them that Woodley nearly died from sleeping rough, but was told she would still wait two years. "They’ve just got a stock answer that ‘everyone on the priority list is the same,’" Buchanan said.
The WA government recently banned "no ground" evictions, a policy that disproportionately affected First Nations families. Campaigner Jesse Noakes welcomed the move, noting that hundreds of families had been evicted without grounds.
Last month, Guardian Australia reported the death of a Noongar woman from sepsis weeks after giving birth, following her eviction from public housing.
Department Response
A spokesperson from the WA Department of Housing and Works acknowledged long waiting lists and said it is difficult to determine when suitable properties become available. They noted that domestic violence victims are referred to additional support services.
The department stated that Woodley was a public housing tenant from 2008 to 2023 until the fire. Her home was deemed habitable, but she moved out in November 2023 after approval for a transfer to Perth, which only placed her on the waiting list in a new location.
"All applicants on the priority waiting list have demonstrated an urgent need for housing," the spokesperson said. "[The department] is committed to working with Ms. Woodley."
A Simple Wish
Taylor believes a safe home could save her daughter’s life. Woodley’s only wish is "a room of my own, with my little TV." Taylor said, "I know that she will get better if she was to have that. That’s all she wants."
Indigenous Australians can call 13YARN on 13 92 76 for crisis support, or Lifeline on 13 11 14.
