Revise mental health legislation to enable law enforcement to respond when individuals present a threat to others, as recommended by police at the Bondi Junction inquest | The Bondi Junction stabbing attacks.

One of Queensland’s senior police officers stated that the state’s mental health legislation should be revised to allow police to intervene more easily when individuals with mental health issues pose a risk to others. Acting Deputy Commissioner Mark Kelly informed the New South Wales Coroner’s Court on Wednesday that Queensland’s Mental Health Act has caused confusion. Kelly’s testimony came during the final day of the five-week inquest into the April 2024 stabbing attack at Westfield Bond Junction, where Joel Cauchi, a schizophrenic man, killed Ashlee Good, Jade Young, Yixuan Cheng, Pikria Darchia, Dawn Singleton, and Faraz Tahir, injuring ten others before being shot dead by police officer Amy Scott. The incident highlighted the challenges faced by police when dealing with mental health cases, with Kelly and other experts suggesting that the legislation should be amended to enable police to send individuals for emergency assessments if they pose a risk to others. The current legislation only permits emergency interventions when individuals are at serious risk to themselves, differing from New South Wales’ approach. Dr. Peggy Dwyer SC, the senior counsel assisting the inquest, indicated that the inquest was likely to recommend legislative amendments. The mental health-related call-outs for the Queensland Police Service have been increasing, averaging 51,000 annually over the past four to five years, with a larger number already reported in the first four months of 2025, creating significant pressure on law enforcement. The inquest is ongoing.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/may/28/change-mental-health-laws-so-officers-can-intervene-when-people-pose-risk-to-others-police-tell-bondi-junction-inquest