It’s long past time for Australia’s tertiary institutions to live up to their duty of care for the international students they attract.
In the outpouring of community grief that followed Guardian Australia’s story about Bikram Lama, a comment by a colleague really hit home: The reality is that, even if I met Bikram right now, I still couldn’t guarantee him a way off the street. And it’s true.
Despite the genuine sadness and goodwill behind the thousands of social media comments, likes and shares – the urge to help that symbolises so much of what is great and good about the Australian character – most aspects of our crisis support system remain closed off to people like Bikram who are non-residents.
If Bikram had a pathway out of homelessness, he might still be alive.
It doesn’t have to be this way.