A newborn baby was found dead at a homeless encampment in Wagga Wagga, NSW, prompting outrage over the lack of sanitation and access to clean water. The tent where the infant died was up to a 15-minute walk from the nearest public toilets or running water, with residents describing conditions as 'worse than a Syrian war camp'.
The 37-year-old mother, who is Indigenous, had been living on the Murrumbidgee riverbank with her partner when she went into labour. Police discovered the deceased newborn on Saturday; the other twin was taken to hospital in critical condition and later transferred to a Sydney hospital. The mother has been discharged and has not returned to the camp.
Local residents and councillors are calling for urgent action to improve amenities at the riverbank encampment, which houses about 10 tents. City councillor Amelia Parkins noted that while the larger Wilks Park campground has waste collection and bathroom access, the river camp lacks basic facilities. The closest public toilets are closed overnight, and access to water from a nearby apartment building was restricted after complaints.
Wagga Wagga City Council stated it did not manage the private property where water was restricted and that public amenities at Wagga beach remain open during normal hours. The council said it had not been informed about the woman's pregnancy. Homelessness is a growing issue in Wagga, with multiple encampments in the area.
At a community meeting on Tuesday, residents expressed shock and anger that the housing crisis had led to a woman giving birth in a tent. The NSW housing minister, Rose Jackson, local MP Joe McGirr, and Mayor Dallas Tout are scheduled to meet on Thursday to discuss the tragedy. Calls are mounting for the NSW government to invest in social housing and support services.
