A suburban backyard in St James, in Perth’s southeast, has become a serious health hazard, with piles of rubbish including shopping bags, toys, clothes and food left to rot outside a Department of Housing property.
Broken fence exposes mess on busy highway
A broken fence has revealed the accumulated waste, visible from a pathway on Albany Hwy. Local residents say the stench and filth have become unbearable. “Just a filthy dirty mess and stench coming from it as well,” one local said. Another neighbour described the scene as “horrific” and “like a rubbish tip”. “All the rats, the smell of it, you just can’t stand it,” he added.
Neighbours complain for months
Neighbours report the rubbish has been piling up for months at the state-owned social housing property, and they have repeatedly complained to the department. The tenant has not been seen for weeks, and no one was home when 7NEWS visited.
Housing crisis context
The situation highlights the strain on Western Australia’s social housing system. In March, more than 23,000 applicants were on the social housing waitlist. “We’re in a housing crisis and each day it becomes evident that this is a housing minister who is not in control of his portfolio,” opposition housing spokesperson Sandra Brewer said.
Government response
WA Housing Minister John Carey said in a statement the department manages 45,000 homes, most “without concern”. At a press conference, WA Premier Roger Cook stated: “The department has acted and we’re securing that property to make sure we eliminate any public health risk with respect to the way the property is being managed by the tenant.”
Similar incidents in Perth
This is not an isolated case. In early 2024, a specialist clean-up crew removed decades of waste from a home in Mount Pleasant, where every room was stacked waist-high with newspapers, books, cardboard, furniture and old electrical equipment. In September, teams in hazmat suits and masks, using a Bobcat loader, cleared a sea of rotting food, clothes and furniture from a home in South Lake, where the mess had prevented neighbours from spending time outdoors.
