Psychiatrist claims 'no error' in treating mall killer
A psychiatrist who treated the Bondi Junction shopping centre attacker has denied any failings despite weaning him off antipsychotics years before the killings.
Joel Cauchi, 40, armed himself with a pigging knife in April 2024 when he fatally stabbed six shoppers at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction and injured 10 others.
A psychiatrist who had treated him in Queensland testified at an inquest into the tragedy on Tuesday, saying Cauchi had never been psychotic after she helped him stop his medication in mid-2019.
"What would you say to the suggestion that you refuse to accept that Joel was psychotic on the 13th of April (2024) because you don't want to accept yourself the failings in your care of Joel?" counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC asked.
"I did not fail in the care of Joel. I refuse - I have no error on my behalf," the psychiatrist said.
After Cauchi was weaned off two antipsychotic drugs in July 2019, his mother contacted the psychiatrist's private clinic seven times raising concerns about possible signs of relapse.
This included that he was leaving notes around the house about Satanic control, experiencing extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder and was not sleeping well.
Cauchi also sent an email saying that he had developed an obsession with pornography, the NSW Coroners Court was told.
The psychiatrist - who cannot be legally named - said these were viewed as possible signs of a early relapse but later assessments found that he was not psychotic.
Cauchi was having trouble sleeping because he was up watching pornography, she said.
His other symptoms stemmed from stressors including a fear he had caught an STD after sleeping with a prostitute, the coroner heard.
Expert psychiatric evidence filed in the inquest has said Cauchi was "floridly psychotic" at the time of the Bondi Junction attack.
However, the psychiatrist also rejected this.
She said Cauchi could not have organised the stabbing spree if he was experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia as this was something he was mentally unable to do.
"It might have been to do with frustration, sexual frustration, pornography and hatred towards women," she said.
"That is my opinion."
Earlier in the inquest, the officer-in-charge of the police investigation Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Marks said Cauchi did not appear to be targeting women during the attack.
On Tuesday, the psychiatrist told the court there would not be any difference if Cauchi had taken antipsychotic medication after July 2019.
She testified she had never seen Joel "acutely unwell" nor any signs of "any relapse (or) any issues of safety".
The psychiatrist grew irritated with Dr Dwyer's questions around her initial diagnosis of Cauchi in 2012, telling her to "move on".
She insisted she believed he had first-episode schizophrenia, rather than chronic schizophrenia, because he had remained symptom-free while medicated.
But a 2012 letter discharging Cauchi from the public system - which was shown to the court - appeared to contradict this.
"It appears that Joel may appear to experience some positive symptoms with fluctuating severity," it read.
"However Joel denies such symptoms."
Discharging Cauchi to his Toowoomba general practitioner after he relocated to Brisbane, the psychiatrist said there was nothing she could do to follow up.
Dr Dwyer suggested she could have made a phone call.
"You could have done that, you just couldn't charge for it," Dr Dwyer said.
The psychiatrist accepted this.
She earlier issued a tearful apology to the families of the victims, Cauchi and those affected by the attacks.
Her life and health had also been personally impacted by the incident, she said.
Cauchi had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen but was successfully treated for decades.
In early 2020, near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved to Brisbane when he was completely cut off from psychiatric care.
His rampage at the Westfield shopping centre in 2024 was brought to an end after he was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
A psychiatrist who treated the Bondi Junction shopping centre attacker has denied any failings despite weaning him off antipsychotics years before the killings.
Joel Cauchi, 40, armed himself with a pigging knife in April 2024 when he fatally stabbed six shoppers at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction and injured 10 others.
A psychiatrist who had treated him in Queensland testified at an inquest into the tragedy on Tuesday, saying Cauchi had never been psychotic after she helped him stop his medication in mid-2019.
"What would you say to the suggestion that you refuse to accept that Joel was psychotic on the 13th of April (2024) because you don't want to accept yourself the failings in your care of Joel?" counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC asked.
"I did not fail in the care of Joel. I refuse - I have no error on my behalf," the psychiatrist said.
After Cauchi was weaned off two antipsychotic drugs in July 2019, his mother contacted the psychiatrist's private clinic seven times raising concerns about possible signs of relapse.
This included that he was leaving notes around the house about Satanic control, experiencing extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder and was not sleeping well.
Cauchi also sent an email saying that he had developed an obsession with pornography, the NSW Coroners Court was told.
The psychiatrist - who cannot be legally named - said these were viewed as possible signs of a early relapse but later assessments found that he was not psychotic.
Cauchi was having trouble sleeping because he was up watching pornography, she said.
His other symptoms stemmed from stressors including a fear he had caught an STD after sleeping with a prostitute, the coroner heard.
Expert psychiatric evidence filed in the inquest has said Cauchi was "floridly psychotic" at the time of the Bondi Junction attack.
However, the psychiatrist also rejected this.
She said Cauchi could not have organised the stabbing spree if he was experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia as this was something he was mentally unable to do.
"It might have been to do with frustration, sexual frustration, pornography and hatred towards women," she said.
"That is my opinion."
Earlier in the inquest, the officer-in-charge of the police investigation Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Marks said Cauchi did not appear to be targeting women during the attack.
On Tuesday, the psychiatrist told the court there would not be any difference if Cauchi had taken antipsychotic medication after July 2019.
She testified she had never seen Joel "acutely unwell" nor any signs of "any relapse (or) any issues of safety".
The psychiatrist grew irritated with Dr Dwyer's questions around her initial diagnosis of Cauchi in 2012, telling her to "move on".
She insisted she believed he had first-episode schizophrenia, rather than chronic schizophrenia, because he had remained symptom-free while medicated.
But a 2012 letter discharging Cauchi from the public system - which was shown to the court - appeared to contradict this.
"It appears that Joel may appear to experience some positive symptoms with fluctuating severity," it read.
"However Joel denies such symptoms."
Discharging Cauchi to his Toowoomba general practitioner after he relocated to Brisbane, the psychiatrist said there was nothing she could do to follow up.
Dr Dwyer suggested she could have made a phone call.
"You could have done that, you just couldn't charge for it," Dr Dwyer said.
The psychiatrist accepted this.
She earlier issued a tearful apology to the families of the victims, Cauchi and those affected by the attacks.
Her life and health had also been personally impacted by the incident, she said.
Cauchi had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen but was successfully treated for decades.
In early 2020, near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved to Brisbane when he was completely cut off from psychiatric care.
His rampage at the Westfield shopping centre in 2024 was brought to an end after he was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
A psychiatrist who treated the Bondi Junction shopping centre attacker has denied any failings despite weaning him off antipsychotics years before the killings.
Joel Cauchi, 40, armed himself with a pigging knife in April 2024 when he fatally stabbed six shoppers at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction and injured 10 others.
A psychiatrist who had treated him in Queensland testified at an inquest into the tragedy on Tuesday, saying Cauchi had never been psychotic after she helped him stop his medication in mid-2019.
"What would you say to the suggestion that you refuse to accept that Joel was psychotic on the 13th of April (2024) because you don't want to accept yourself the failings in your care of Joel?" counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC asked.
"I did not fail in the care of Joel. I refuse - I have no error on my behalf," the psychiatrist said.
After Cauchi was weaned off two antipsychotic drugs in July 2019, his mother contacted the psychiatrist's private clinic seven times raising concerns about possible signs of relapse.
This included that he was leaving notes around the house about Satanic control, experiencing extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder and was not sleeping well.
Cauchi also sent an email saying that he had developed an obsession with pornography, the NSW Coroners Court was told.
The psychiatrist - who cannot be legally named - said these were viewed as possible signs of a early relapse but later assessments found that he was not psychotic.
Cauchi was having trouble sleeping because he was up watching pornography, she said.
His other symptoms stemmed from stressors including a fear he had caught an STD after sleeping with a prostitute, the coroner heard.
Expert psychiatric evidence filed in the inquest has said Cauchi was "floridly psychotic" at the time of the Bondi Junction attack.
However, the psychiatrist also rejected this.
She said Cauchi could not have organised the stabbing spree if he was experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia as this was something he was mentally unable to do.
"It might have been to do with frustration, sexual frustration, pornography and hatred towards women," she said.
"That is my opinion."
Earlier in the inquest, the officer-in-charge of the police investigation Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Marks said Cauchi did not appear to be targeting women during the attack.
On Tuesday, the psychiatrist told the court there would not be any difference if Cauchi had taken antipsychotic medication after July 2019.
She testified she had never seen Joel "acutely unwell" nor any signs of "any relapse (or) any issues of safety".
The psychiatrist grew irritated with Dr Dwyer's questions around her initial diagnosis of Cauchi in 2012, telling her to "move on".
She insisted she believed he had first-episode schizophrenia, rather than chronic schizophrenia, because he had remained symptom-free while medicated.
But a 2012 letter discharging Cauchi from the public system - which was shown to the court - appeared to contradict this.
"It appears that Joel may appear to experience some positive symptoms with fluctuating severity," it read.
"However Joel denies such symptoms."
Discharging Cauchi to his Toowoomba general practitioner after he relocated to Brisbane, the psychiatrist said there was nothing she could do to follow up.
Dr Dwyer suggested she could have made a phone call.
"You could have done that, you just couldn't charge for it," Dr Dwyer said.
The psychiatrist accepted this.
She earlier issued a tearful apology to the families of the victims, Cauchi and those affected by the attacks.
Her life and health had also been personally impacted by the incident, she said.
Cauchi had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen but was successfully treated for decades.
In early 2020, near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved to Brisbane when he was completely cut off from psychiatric care.
His rampage at the Westfield shopping centre in 2024 was brought to an end after he was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
A psychiatrist who treated the Bondi Junction shopping centre attacker has denied any failings despite weaning him off antipsychotics years before the killings.
Joel Cauchi, 40, armed himself with a pigging knife in April 2024 when he fatally stabbed six shoppers at Sydney's Westfield Bondi Junction and injured 10 others.
A psychiatrist who had treated him in Queensland testified at an inquest into the tragedy on Tuesday, saying Cauchi had never been psychotic after she helped him stop his medication in mid-2019.
"What would you say to the suggestion that you refuse to accept that Joel was psychotic on the 13th of April (2024) because you don't want to accept yourself the failings in your care of Joel?" counsel assisting Peggy Dwyer SC asked.
"I did not fail in the care of Joel. I refuse - I have no error on my behalf," the psychiatrist said.
After Cauchi was weaned off two antipsychotic drugs in July 2019, his mother contacted the psychiatrist's private clinic seven times raising concerns about possible signs of relapse.
This included that he was leaving notes around the house about Satanic control, experiencing extreme obsessive-compulsive disorder and was not sleeping well.
Cauchi also sent an email saying that he had developed an obsession with pornography, the NSW Coroners Court was told.
The psychiatrist - who cannot be legally named - said these were viewed as possible signs of a early relapse but later assessments found that he was not psychotic.
Cauchi was having trouble sleeping because he was up watching pornography, she said.
His other symptoms stemmed from stressors including a fear he had caught an STD after sleeping with a prostitute, the coroner heard.
Expert psychiatric evidence filed in the inquest has said Cauchi was "floridly psychotic" at the time of the Bondi Junction attack.
However, the psychiatrist also rejected this.
She said Cauchi could not have organised the stabbing spree if he was experiencing symptoms of schizophrenia as this was something he was mentally unable to do.
"It might have been to do with frustration, sexual frustration, pornography and hatred towards women," she said.
"That is my opinion."
Earlier in the inquest, the officer-in-charge of the police investigation Detective Chief Inspector Andrew Marks said Cauchi did not appear to be targeting women during the attack.
On Tuesday, the psychiatrist told the court there would not be any difference if Cauchi had taken antipsychotic medication after July 2019.
She testified she had never seen Joel "acutely unwell" nor any signs of "any relapse (or) any issues of safety".
The psychiatrist grew irritated with Dr Dwyer's questions around her initial diagnosis of Cauchi in 2012, telling her to "move on".
She insisted she believed he had first-episode schizophrenia, rather than chronic schizophrenia, because he had remained symptom-free while medicated.
But a 2012 letter discharging Cauchi from the public system - which was shown to the court - appeared to contradict this.
"It appears that Joel may appear to experience some positive symptoms with fluctuating severity," it read.
"However Joel denies such symptoms."
Discharging Cauchi to his Toowoomba general practitioner after he relocated to Brisbane, the psychiatrist said there was nothing she could do to follow up.
Dr Dwyer suggested she could have made a phone call.
"You could have done that, you just couldn't charge for it," Dr Dwyer said.
The psychiatrist accepted this.
She earlier issued a tearful apology to the families of the victims, Cauchi and those affected by the attacks.
Her life and health had also been personally impacted by the incident, she said.
Cauchi had been diagnosed with schizophrenia as a teen but was successfully treated for decades.
In early 2020, near the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, he moved to Brisbane when he was completely cut off from psychiatric care.
His rampage at the Westfield shopping centre in 2024 was brought to an end after he was shot dead by NSW Police Inspector Amy Scott.
The hearing continues on Wednesday.
Lifeline 13 11 14
beyondblue 1300 22 4636
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05-06-2025
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France honours Bondi Junction stabbing 'bollard' heroes
Armed with bollards and bravery, French nationals Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux confronted Joel Cauchi amid his stabbing rampage at a busy mall in broad daylight where he killed six dead in five minutes. They were awarded the Ordre National du Merite, one of France's highest distinctions, on Thursday at NSW parliament for their courageous efforts on April 13, 2024. Footage of the construction workers coming face to face with the attacker atop an escalator during his killing spree at Westfield Bondi Junction went viral. Cauchi, who had a history of acute mental health disorders and was off his medication, knifed 10 other victims in the indiscriminate attack before being shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott. 'We were defending ourselves because we were thinking he (Cauchi) was coming after us and the first thing we saw were the bollards,' 32-year-old Guerot said. Despreaux, 33, who grew in Ukraine as a youngster with his father who was a charity worker, said 'adrenaline' drove them to act tradies were at the mall to buy a new laptop but their day quickly turned into a blood-soaked episode when they saw Cauchi stab a few victims and stood only a few metres away from them before Scott, the lone police officer, killed him. The fallout from the mass stabbing is being examined in an ongoing coronial inquest. 'In the hour of danger when dozens of lives were at risk... they ran towards the violence, they chose to put their lives on the line,' Premier Chris Minns said. 'The sad and hard truth is we don't know how bad this tragedy could've been without their intervention. '(You) will always be heroes of this state.' French Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert, who presented the blue coloured medals to the two French friends, praised them for their humility and deliberately staying out of the limelight after the events. 'They acted not out of duty, but out of instinct,' he said. The pair's actions in attempting to hold back the assailant prompted French President Emmanuel Macron at the time to commend the courage of the compatriots. They join a long list of renowned recipients of the award in the last six decades including oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and actress Isabelle Huppert. Guerot confirmed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promptly followed through on his promise of granting him permanent residency for saving lives. Even though Despreaux is eligible for citizenship he is waiting for Guerot to share another crucial milestone together. When he first came out to Australia, softly spoken Guerot said he brought a small stuffed toy rooster to remind him of France and he has added two more animals that symbolise what he has gone through. 'I have three emblems in my heart — the rooster, the kangaroo and emu — animals that never move backwards. Together they keep me going forward with courage, pride and hope.' Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636
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France honours Bondi mall stabbing 'bollard' heroes
Armed with bollards and bravery, French nationals Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux confronted Joel Cauchi amid his stabbing rampage at a busy mall in broad daylight where he killed six dead in five minutes. They were awarded the Ordre National du Merite, one of France's highest distinctions, on Thursday at NSW parliament for their courageous efforts on April 13, 2024. Footage of the construction workers coming face to face with the attacker atop an escalator during his killing spree at Westfield Bondi Junction went viral. Cauchi, who had a history of acute mental health disorders and was off his medication, knifed 10 other victims in the indiscriminate attack before being shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott. "We were defending ourselves because we were thinking he (Cauchi) was coming after us and the first thing we saw were the bollards," 32-year-old Mr Guerot told AAP. Mr Despreaux, 33, who grew in Ukraine as a youngster with his father who was a charity worker, said "adrenaline" drove them to act tradies were at the mall to buy a new laptop but their day quickly turned into a blood-soaked episode when they saw Mr Cauchi stab a few victims and stood only a few metres away from them before the lone police officer, Ms Scott, killed him. The fallout from the mass stabbing is being examined in an ongoing coronial inquest. "In the hour of danger when dozens of lives were at risk... they ran towards the violence, they chose to put their lives on the line," Premier Chris Minns said. "The sad and hard truth is we don't know how bad this tragedy could've been without their intervention. "(You) will always be heroes of this state." French Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert, who presented the blue coloured medals to the two French friends, praised them for their humility and deliberately staying out of the limelight after the events. "They acted not out of duty, but out of instinct," he said. The pair's actions in attempting to hold back the assailant prompted French President Emmanuel Macron at the time to commend the courage of the compatriots. They join a long list of renowned recipients of the award in the last six decades including oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and actress Isabelle Huppert. Mr Guerot confirmed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promptly followed through on his promise of granting him permanent residency for saving lives. Even though, Mr Despreaux is eligible for citizenship he is waiting for Mr Guerot to share another crucial milestone together. When he first came out to Australia, softly spoken Mr Guerot said he brought a small stuffed toy rooster to remind him of France and he has added two more animals that symbolise what he has gone through. "I have three emblems in my heart - the rooster, the kangaroo and emu - animals that never move backwards. Together they keep me going forward with courage, pride and hope." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Armed with bollards and bravery, French nationals Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux confronted Joel Cauchi amid his stabbing rampage at a busy mall in broad daylight where he killed six dead in five minutes. They were awarded the Ordre National du Merite, one of France's highest distinctions, on Thursday at NSW parliament for their courageous efforts on April 13, 2024. Footage of the construction workers coming face to face with the attacker atop an escalator during his killing spree at Westfield Bondi Junction went viral. Cauchi, who had a history of acute mental health disorders and was off his medication, knifed 10 other victims in the indiscriminate attack before being shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott. "We were defending ourselves because we were thinking he (Cauchi) was coming after us and the first thing we saw were the bollards," 32-year-old Mr Guerot told AAP. Mr Despreaux, 33, who grew in Ukraine as a youngster with his father who was a charity worker, said "adrenaline" drove them to act tradies were at the mall to buy a new laptop but their day quickly turned into a blood-soaked episode when they saw Mr Cauchi stab a few victims and stood only a few metres away from them before the lone police officer, Ms Scott, killed him. The fallout from the mass stabbing is being examined in an ongoing coronial inquest. "In the hour of danger when dozens of lives were at risk... they ran towards the violence, they chose to put their lives on the line," Premier Chris Minns said. "The sad and hard truth is we don't know how bad this tragedy could've been without their intervention. "(You) will always be heroes of this state." French Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert, who presented the blue coloured medals to the two French friends, praised them for their humility and deliberately staying out of the limelight after the events. "They acted not out of duty, but out of instinct," he said. The pair's actions in attempting to hold back the assailant prompted French President Emmanuel Macron at the time to commend the courage of the compatriots. They join a long list of renowned recipients of the award in the last six decades including oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and actress Isabelle Huppert. Mr Guerot confirmed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promptly followed through on his promise of granting him permanent residency for saving lives. Even though, Mr Despreaux is eligible for citizenship he is waiting for Mr Guerot to share another crucial milestone together. When he first came out to Australia, softly spoken Mr Guerot said he brought a small stuffed toy rooster to remind him of France and he has added two more animals that symbolise what he has gone through. "I have three emblems in my heart - the rooster, the kangaroo and emu - animals that never move backwards. Together they keep me going forward with courage, pride and hope." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Armed with bollards and bravery, French nationals Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux confronted Joel Cauchi amid his stabbing rampage at a busy mall in broad daylight where he killed six dead in five minutes. They were awarded the Ordre National du Merite, one of France's highest distinctions, on Thursday at NSW parliament for their courageous efforts on April 13, 2024. Footage of the construction workers coming face to face with the attacker atop an escalator during his killing spree at Westfield Bondi Junction went viral. Cauchi, who had a history of acute mental health disorders and was off his medication, knifed 10 other victims in the indiscriminate attack before being shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott. "We were defending ourselves because we were thinking he (Cauchi) was coming after us and the first thing we saw were the bollards," 32-year-old Mr Guerot told AAP. Mr Despreaux, 33, who grew in Ukraine as a youngster with his father who was a charity worker, said "adrenaline" drove them to act tradies were at the mall to buy a new laptop but their day quickly turned into a blood-soaked episode when they saw Mr Cauchi stab a few victims and stood only a few metres away from them before the lone police officer, Ms Scott, killed him. The fallout from the mass stabbing is being examined in an ongoing coronial inquest. "In the hour of danger when dozens of lives were at risk... they ran towards the violence, they chose to put their lives on the line," Premier Chris Minns said. "The sad and hard truth is we don't know how bad this tragedy could've been without their intervention. "(You) will always be heroes of this state." French Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert, who presented the blue coloured medals to the two French friends, praised them for their humility and deliberately staying out of the limelight after the events. "They acted not out of duty, but out of instinct," he said. The pair's actions in attempting to hold back the assailant prompted French President Emmanuel Macron at the time to commend the courage of the compatriots. They join a long list of renowned recipients of the award in the last six decades including oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and actress Isabelle Huppert. Mr Guerot confirmed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promptly followed through on his promise of granting him permanent residency for saving lives. Even though, Mr Despreaux is eligible for citizenship he is waiting for Mr Guerot to share another crucial milestone together. When he first came out to Australia, softly spoken Mr Guerot said he brought a small stuffed toy rooster to remind him of France and he has added two more animals that symbolise what he has gone through. "I have three emblems in my heart - the rooster, the kangaroo and emu - animals that never move backwards. Together they keep me going forward with courage, pride and hope." Lifeline 13 11 14 beyondblue 1300 22 4636 Armed with bollards and bravery, French nationals Damien Guerot and Silas Despreaux confronted Joel Cauchi amid his stabbing rampage at a busy mall in broad daylight where he killed six dead in five minutes. They were awarded the Ordre National du Merite, one of France's highest distinctions, on Thursday at NSW parliament for their courageous efforts on April 13, 2024. Footage of the construction workers coming face to face with the attacker atop an escalator during his killing spree at Westfield Bondi Junction went viral. Cauchi, who had a history of acute mental health disorders and was off his medication, knifed 10 other victims in the indiscriminate attack before being shot dead by Inspector Amy Scott. "We were defending ourselves because we were thinking he (Cauchi) was coming after us and the first thing we saw were the bollards," 32-year-old Mr Guerot told AAP. Mr Despreaux, 33, who grew in Ukraine as a youngster with his father who was a charity worker, said "adrenaline" drove them to act tradies were at the mall to buy a new laptop but their day quickly turned into a blood-soaked episode when they saw Mr Cauchi stab a few victims and stood only a few metres away from them before the lone police officer, Ms Scott, killed him. The fallout from the mass stabbing is being examined in an ongoing coronial inquest. "In the hour of danger when dozens of lives were at risk... they ran towards the violence, they chose to put their lives on the line," Premier Chris Minns said. "The sad and hard truth is we don't know how bad this tragedy could've been without their intervention. "(You) will always be heroes of this state." French Ambassador Pierre-Andre Imbert, who presented the blue coloured medals to the two French friends, praised them for their humility and deliberately staying out of the limelight after the events. "They acted not out of duty, but out of instinct," he said. The pair's actions in attempting to hold back the assailant prompted French President Emmanuel Macron at the time to commend the courage of the compatriots. They join a long list of renowned recipients of the award in the last six decades including oceanographer Jacques Cousteau and actress Isabelle Huppert. Mr Guerot confirmed that Prime Minister Anthony Albanese promptly followed through on his promise of granting him permanent residency for saving lives. Even though, Mr Despreaux is eligible for citizenship he is waiting for Mr Guerot to share another crucial milestone together. When he first came out to Australia, softly spoken Mr Guerot said he brought a small stuffed toy rooster to remind him of France and he has added two more animals that symbolise what he has gone through. "I have three emblems in my heart - the rooster, the kangaroo and emu - animals that never move backwards. 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