There have been calls to protect Perth's homeless population from the threat of COVID as Western Australia opened its borders overnight.
Homelessness has been a pressing issue that advocates have constantly drawn attention to, with more than 40 people dying on the city's streets in 2021.
Ballardong Noongar man Desmond Blurton Cuiamara has been sleeping rough in Perth for over 8 years and says others are in fear of the virus sweeping the city.
"They’re terrified that this pandemic is going to come through the community," he told NITV News.
“This is not a reserve like in the old days... this is the city, and they got to start looking after the homeless."
WA Greens Senator Dorinda Cox said the situation is reaching crisis point, with unvaccinated or under-vaccinated First Nations people heavily overrepresented.
Advocate Jesse Noakes standing next to Desmond Blurton Cuiamara. Source: Supplied: Kearyn Cox
“[The] current situation here in Perth is very dire," said Senator Cox.
"We have 1050 people currently that are straight present on the streets of Perth: 40 per cent of those [are] First Nations people, and of those First Nations people, only 7 per cent... have actually been triple vaccinated.
“So we have a serious issue in relation to COVID protecting people in a global pandemic."
Housing facility under half-full
Boorloo Bidee Mia (BBM) in Noongar language means 'pathway to housing'.
The facility, owned and operated by Wungening Aboriginal Corporation on Wellington street in Perth's CBD, is running under half capacity since opening six months ago.
In July 2021, WA's Department of Communities provided Wungening and Noongar Mia Mia, another Aboriginal organisation working in the community housing sector, with $6.7 million over three years to help BBM home over 100 people experiencing homelessness.
It currently has 45 people living at the accommodation.
Wungening CEO Daniel Morrison acknowledged some homeless people are unable to access services, saying there is not enough funding to fill the vacancies at BBM.
Alec Yarran, a Boorloo Bidee Mia resident. Source: Supplied: Neil Darby
“You still have to rely on mainstream services, homelessness services to provide adequate support to all homeless people, including Aboriginal people. We are not funded to support all Aboriginal people at this stage,” said Mr Morrison.
Fifty-six-year-old Alec Yarran has recently started living at Boorloo Bidee Mia and says there is room for other people to live alongside him.
“Absolutely yes. It can cater for that. I live there," he told NITV News.
“I know there’s a few people but very rarely do I see a lot of people using the facility."
As WA lifted its border restrictions at midnight on Wednesday, WA Health is reporting 1,766 local cases of COVID-19, which includes 4 travel related cases and 16 in hospital.
