Calls for inquest into death of Sydney's 'birdman' Bikram Lama

The New South Wales attorney-general, Michael Daley, is being urged to order an inquest into the death of Bikram Lama, a Nepali migrant known as the 'birdman' for his affection for pigeons in Hyde Park. Alex Greenwich, the independent MP for Sydney, stated that the inquest is crucial to understand the failures that led to Lama's death and to prevent similar tragedies in the future. Records indicate that Lama was deemed a non-resident by the time of his death, which occurred while he was sleeping rough in the park. His body was reportedly unnoticed for up to a week near a busy thoroughfare into St James station.

Lama's family reported that he came to Australia to study but lost contact with them. The City of Sydney estimates that about one in five rough sleepers in the inner city are non-residents, who typically lack access to essential support services such as social housing, healthcare, and work rights. The coroner has yet to determine if an inquest will be held but has reached out to Lama's family in Nepal. Daley's office noted that the coroner is awaiting a brief of evidence from police before deciding on the inquest.

Greenwich emphasized the need for accountability, stating, "This has to be a wake-up call for policymakers... did Bikram Lama die because of failures in state and federal policies?" Recent investigations into homelessness deaths have highlighted systemic failures in providing housing and healthcare. Greenwich called for an inquest to explore these issues further, stressing that without understanding the policy failures, similar deaths could occur again.

Power Read: The push for an inquest into Bikram Lama's death places pressure on New South Wales authorities to address systemic failures in homelessness support, particularly for non-residents. This incident exposes the vulnerabilities of migrant populations within the Australian social support framework, revealing a gap in policy that could lead to increased scrutiny of immigration and housing policies. The outcome of the coroner's decision may influence future legislative actions regarding homelessness and migrant rights.

What to watch: The coroner's upcoming decision on whether to hold an inquest into Bikram Lama's death.