‘Room for improvement’: Bondi Junction massacre highlights need to improve measures dealing with mental illness

The horrific rampage unleashed on innocent shoppers at Westfield Bondi Junction has reopened the conversation around mental illness with experts calling for more support for those living serious diseases like schizophrenia.

The horrific rampage unleashed on innocent shoppers at Westfield Bondi Junction has reopened the conversation around mental illness with experts calling for more support for those living serious diseases like schizophrenia.

Joel Cauchi, the 40-year-old who killed six people before being shot by a lone policewoman, was understood to have suffered from schizophrenia and had suffered bouts of homelessness.

Clinical psychologist Professor Adam Guastella said it was important to recognise that most people with chronic mental illness did not harm other people but a stronger mental health system can prevent future tragedies from unfolding.

“During times like this I feel very sorry for all the families and the people who experienced conditions like schizophrenia because it is a terrible illness and in 99.9 per cent of people it doesn’t result in any violent behaviour or bad outcomes,” he said.

“But people with schizophrenia are often discriminated against and segregated in a way that is really unhelpful.

Clinical psychologist Professor Adam Guastella.

“We need to be thinking about how we support people better. There is always room for improvement, the issues around chronic mental health and access to supports, mental health treatment or housing, they are all areas as a society things have gotten worse.”

Toowoomba charity Tony’s Kitchen founder Tony Hurle knew of Cauchi who had used the service when he was homeless.

“We know that he was sleeping rough and spent some time on Water Street South (in Toowoomba) near the hospital where a lot of rough sleepers congregate,” he said.

Joel Cauchi, the man responsible for the massacre at Westfield Bondi Junction on Saturday.

“I know a lot of agencies had reached out to Joel, but he slipped through the cracks.

“We see it every day at the kitchen with people who are off their medication or can’t get their medication.”

Men’s mental health expert Dr Zac Seidler said while it was important to continue talking about men’s violence against women, after five of the six victims were female, it was also crucial to discuss how to support those struggling with illnesses like schizophrenia.

“The man yesterday who took six lives, seemingly attacking women and children at will apparently suffered from schizophrenia,” he wrote on X.

“This is a time for us to realise that the true antidote to serious mental ill-health is connection and togetherness.

“This is seriously traumatising to all that were there … but the best way to counteract the darkness is not by stoking fear and distance. Instead we must seek out those lost and lonely in our community and show them the beauty of a life worth living.”

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