Mike speaks with psychiatrist and commentator Dr Tanveer Ahmed about the Bondi Junction inquest and its warning that prolonged homelessness is now a security risk.

The inquest exposes deep failures in Australia’s mental health system: poor communication between states, a lack of stable housing for psychiatric patients, and a widening gap between public and private care. One key finding is that long-term homelessness should no longer be treated as a lifestyle choice.

Current policies allow people with serious mental illness or addiction to avoid treatment and move freely through the community, with tragic consequences. Dr Ahmed discusses the broader lessons of the inquest, including underfunded community services since deinstitutionalisation, the need for more housing, and better coordination between jurisdictions.

Immediate options include mandatory addiction treatment, public guardianship, and conditional accommodation.