Nepalese Man Dies Homeless in Sydney

0:00A 32-year-old man from Nepal, named Bikram Lama, was found dead in Sydney's Hyde Park last December 7, after sleeping rough near a busy tunnel entrance. His body went unnoticed for up to a week right on the edge of the city center. Federal and state housing ministers called it beyond tragic, saying it shows how vulnerable rough sleepers keep slipping through the cracks. Lama came to Australia to study, hoping to lift his family out of poverty back in his remote village. But his visa expired. He couldn't renew his passport, and as a non-resident, he got stuck in homelessness without legal ways to work or survive. That situation traps folks like him, because they can't tap into crisis housing, health care, social services, or welfare. Charities are stretched thin, leaving big gaps in support for people who entered legally but lost their status over time. Ministers and outreach teams admit the problems. Lama was spotted by a service, and referred for help through a non-resident homelessness group run by St. Vincent's and the city of Sydney.

1:00Now, leaders from those groups and the city are pushing state and federal governments harder for specialist funding, crisis shelters, and better pathways. With visas handled federally and housing mostly a state gig, both sides point to investments like $1 billion in funds for at-risk housing. But advocates say it's time to fix the splits, so no one else ends up overlook like this. People news powered by AI. This is Sydney News Today.