Sydney Business Demands Overhaul of Homelessness Response After Tragic Death
Sydney's peak business group has issued a stark call for the urgent establishment of a safety taskforce to assist rough sleepers in the central business district. This demand follows the disturbing and tragic death of Bikram Lama, a 32-year-old Nepali man, whose body lay undiscovered for up to a week in Hyde Park.
A Disturbing Discovery in a Busy Park
Guardian Australia revealed this week that Lama died where he was sleeping in bushes near the entrance to the St James station tunnel, a busy thoroughfare used by thousands of commuters daily. Police believe his body remained unnoticed until it was found on 7 December, already in a state of decomposition. This incident has sent shockwaves through the community, raising urgent questions about the city's support systems.
Systemic Failures for Non-Residents
Homelessness groups point out that Lama's case underscores broader systemic issues. Individuals who come to Australia legally, such as students like Lama, often face insurmountable barriers when their visas lapse. Non-residents are unable to access fundamental supports, including crisis and social housing. They must rely on charity outreach services, which are stretched to the limit and not specifically funded to assist those without valid visas.
Paul Nicolaou, the executive director of Business Sydney, emphasized that this death should prompt a complete overhaul of how authorities interact with rough sleepers. He called for the urgent creation of a CBD safety and care taskforce to monitor high-risk areas and provide more rapid welfare responses.
Proposed Solutions and Urgent Actions
Nicolaou proposed that the taskforce would combine efforts from government, business, transport authorities, and community organisations. "Action is needed to ensure that no one else falls victim to such a disturbingly lonely and tragic death," he stated. He argued that protocols drafted over 25 years ago to define government interactions with street sleepers are no longer fit for purpose and require complete rewriting.
Lama had been identified by the New South Wales government and referred to St Vincent's homeless health service and the City of Sydney. Both organisations have lobbied state and federal governments to address the significant service gap for non-residents, which denies them a housing pathway and traps them in homelessness.
Human Dignity and Public Safety at Stake
Erin Longbottom, nursing unit manager at St Vincent's service, expressed profound sadness, noting, "No matter who you are or how you came to Australia or what happened to you, you're actually still a human being and your life is valuable." She reflected on Lama's perceived hopelessness, highlighting the emotional toll of such systemic failures.
Nicolaou described the service gap facing non-residents as a "shocking systems failure." He stressed that no one in Sydney should be left without access to basic support, regardless of their circumstances. "When vulnerable individuals, particularly those on temporary visas or without access to government assistance, are excluded from the system, the risks are profound and, as we have seen, can be fatal," he warned.
Call for a Targeted Safety Net
He advocated for a targeted safety net for those locked out of support services, including temporary accommodation. "This is not about long-term welfare, it is about basic dignity and public safety," Nicolaou asserted. He added that incidents like Lama's unnoticed death damage Sydney's social fabric and international reputation, urging that such tragedies must not be repeated.
The death of Bikram Lama serves as a confronting reminder that even in the heart of a global city, individuals can fall through the cracks, unseen and unsupported. Business Sydney's call for action underscores the pressing need for collaborative and immediate reforms to prevent further loss of life on the streets.
