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"THE death of an elderly woman went undetected for several years as government agencies struggled to track down the recluse who had died on the floor of her bedroom.
The skeletal remains of Natalie Wood, who would have been 87 this year, were discovered in the upstairs bedroom of her Surry Hills home, in inner-Sydney, yesterday afternoon.
Police believe she might have been dead for up to eight years.
Utility companies cut off her power but Centrelink continued to pay her benefits, though her bank account remained untouched.
NSW Police Minister Mike Gallacher said it was surprising that Centrelink had not noticed her death.
"To hear today that an elderly lady can pass away, be dead for eight years and for Centrelink to still be sending cheques to her bank account and for those cheques not to be cashed - surely that must set off the alarm bells within government," he said. But Centrelink says Mr Gallacher's comments are "misleading" and it stopped payments into her account in February 2008 after there was no response to a review.
"A Centrelink social worker visited the Surry Hills home and inquired in the neighbourhood, only to be told she had not lived there for many years and was now with a relative," Centrelink said in a statement.
It also contacted Australia Post, her bank, NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and a family member but they had no information about her whereabouts.
Mr Gallacher also took a swipe at local government, who he said should have noticed rates were not being paid on the woman's home.
But Sydney City Council said pensioners were not charged rates by the council.
Ms Wood was considered a pensioner until 2008/09, when the council was told by Centrelink that the pension rebate was no longer valid at that address.
"The City then started issuing rates notices and reminders," a council spokeswoman said in a statement.
"When they weren't responded to, council asked debt recovery officers to help follow up the unpaid rates."
Debt recovery officers were given conflicting reports from neighbours about the occupant, including that she may have moved away to live with family, the council added.
They searched for her family and made contact with them and police were also notified.
Unmarried and childless, Ms Wood had stopped speaking to her one remaining relative in 2003, the result of a family feud.
But a few days ago something prompted her sister-in-law - who had been married to her now dead brother - to report her missing to police.
The three of them had argued in 2003 and the sister-in-law said she had not seen her since.
Police said they would check to see when Ms Wood's last energy bill was paid, to try to determine the time of her death.
Superintendent Zoran Dzevlan said her mail had been redirected to her sister-in-law but that had eventually stopped.
Elderly people dying lonely deaths in Sydney have shocked and saddened the city over the years - leading the state to re-examine attitudes within neighbourhoods.
Within a two week period in February 2006, six elderly people were discovered after they had died in their homes alone.
It included the discovery of a 64-year-old man after eight months and a 62-year-old man after six months.
NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell described Ms Wood's death as an "extremely sad event".
"The terribly tragic situation's a reminder why we all ought to take more interest in our neighbours and demonstrate that friendliness has always been a part of Australian society."
The death is not believed to be suspicious. A coroner's report will be prepared." But Centrelink says Mr Gallacher's comments are "misleading" and it stopped payments into her account in February 2008 after there was no response to a review. "A Centrelink social worker visited the Surry Hills home and inquired in the neighbourhood, only to be told she had not lived there for many years and was now with a relative," Centrelink said in a statement. It also contacted Australia Post, her bank, NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and a family member but they had no information about her whereabouts. Mr Gallacher also took a swipe at local government, who he said should have noticed rates were not being paid on the woman's home. But Sydney City Council said pensioners were not charged rates by the council. Ms Wood was considered a pensioner until 2008/09, when the council was told by Centrelink that the pension rebate was no longer valid at that address. "The City then started issuing rates notices and reminders," a council spokeswoman said in a statement. "When they weren't responded to, council asked debt recovery officers to help follow up the unpaid rates." Debt recovery officers were given conflicting reports from neighbours about the occupant, including that she may have moved away to live with family, the council added. They searched for her family and made contact with them and police were also notified. Unmarried and childless, Ms Wood had stopped speaking to her one remaining relative in 2003, the result of a family feud. But a few days ago something prompted her sister-in-law - who had been married to her now dead brother - to report her missing to police. The three of them had argued in 2003 and the sister-in-law said she had not seen her since. Police said they would check to see when Ms Wood's last energy bill was paid, to try to determine the time of her death. Superintendent Zoran Dzevlan said her mail had been redirected to her sister-in-law but that had eventually stopped. Elderly people dying lonely deaths in Sydney have shocked and saddened the city over the years - leading the state to re-examine attitudes within neighbourhoods. Within a two week period in February 2006, six elderly people were discovered after they had died in their homes alone. It included the discovery of a 64-year-old man after eight months and a 62-year-old man after six months. NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell described Ms Wood's death as an "extremely sad event". "The terribly tragic situation's a reminder why we all ought to take more interest in our neighbours and demonstrate that friendliness has always been a part of Australian society." The death is not believed to be suspicious. A coroner's report will be prepared. But Centrelink says Mr Gallacher's comments are "misleading" and it stopped payments into her account in February 2008 after there was no response to a review.
"A Centrelink social worker visited the Surry Hills home and inquired in the neighbourhood, only to be told she had not lived there for many years and was now with a relative," Centrelink said in a statement.
It also contacted Australia Post, her bank, NSW Registry of Births, Deaths and Marriages and a family member but they had no information about her whereabouts.
Mr Gallacher also took a swipe at local government, who he said should have noticed rates were not being paid on the woman's home.
Just copied and pasted from a site, How the fuck didn't anyone smell her rotting?
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