Preston Mapuyu is on a public housing waitlist that on average takes more than half a decade to see any movement – but due to a chronic lung condition, he may not have that long to wait.
Nurses in remote north-east Arnhem Land say a housing shortage has become potentially "life-threatening for patients" such as Mr Mapuyu, and is simultaneously burdening the health system.
Mr Mapuyu's inability to access public housing has meant he's been forced to rely on the kindness of relatives for accommodation, often overcrowded and unsuitable for someone with his condition.
He and his wife, Serena Munyarryun, were living on a remote homeland 100km from the nearest hospital, where access via dirt road is seasonal and emergency planes can only land during the day.
"If we call emergency for ambulance to get here, sometimes it takes them three to four hours to get here," Ms Munyarryun said.
"If we're lucky enough, we can get a plane during the day."
The pair has applied to access public housing in the nearest township of Nhulunbuy but, given a Territory-wide public housing shortage, they're up against it.
NT government data shows there is an average wait of six to eight years for applicants in Nhulunbuy.
That stretches up to a decade for those seeking housing in hubs like Alice Springs.
Across the NT there are nearly 6,000 applications for housing, but only 162 homes listed as vacant.
Laynhapuy Aboriginal Homelands Corporation, a health and homelands services agency in north-east Arnhem Land, is calling for more housing options to be urgently opened up in remote townships.
Laynhapuy support worker Geoff Ellis said the need for patients with a chronic or terminal illness in remote areas — of whom he said there are multiple – to have access to housing near a hospital was dire.
"We've got support letters from physicians, from surgeons, from nurses, from doctors, from everybody to say, 'They need a house, these particular people, and they need it now'," he said.
"Not in 10 years, not in five years, not in two years."
Health staff speak out on housing
Laynhapuy nurse Liz Henderson said the issue was not just a strain on resources, it was also putting remote health staff at risk.
"In an emergency, it can be really difficult," Ms Henderson said.
"It's often difficult to organise [ambulance or flight] retrievals.
"It can cost up to $900 to get a flight out there to retrieve someone, and that's only if it's daylight hours, or if the weather's suitable for landing there.
"We're involved in the retrieval process and we're really aware that there can often be delays in the retrieval process.
"It's frustrating for us and life-threatening for the patients, potentially."
Governments look at 'accelerating' delivery
The federal government said it recognised "the significant impact the lack of suitable housing has on health" and would work towards "focusing on areas of greatest need, such as the remote NT".
Assistant Minister for Indigenous Australians Malarndirri McCarthy said her government would "continue to work with NT government and housing stakeholders on improving housing conditions in the NT including accelerating delivery where possible".
NT Housing Minister Selena Uibo said she understood "housing in remote areas across the Territory is a priority" and that in Arnhem Land, "we have plans to construct 316 new homes".
"Nhulunbuy has the shortest waitlist for public housing in the NT with 168 people on the waitlist," Ms Uibo said.
"[But] we know there's more work to be done and we're getting on with the job."
In Nhulunbuy, much of the housing stock is owned by mining firm Rio Tinto.
A Rio Tinto spokesman said the firm would work with traditional owners and the NT government "to develop sustainable housing options" for the region.
However, the company also said its "current housing is critical to support large-scale rehabilitation activities in the coming years", and did not directly answer if or when more housing could become available for public housing.
