The Greens’ Sarah Mansfield says new overdose data reinforces case for safe injecting room in Geelong

The release of fresh drug overdose data has prompted the Greens to renew calls for an injecting room in Geelong, saying the need for it “has never been more urgent”.

Victorian Greens MLC Sarah Mansfield says new overdose data reinforces the case for a medically supervised injecting room in Geelong. Picture: Alan Barber.

The Greens have renewed their push for an injecting room in Geelong following the release of new data.

Geelong-based upper house member Sarah Mansfield, a GP prior to entering parliament, said the Victorian Coroners Court report found the region was home to the highest number of unintentional drug overdose deaths outside of Melbourne in the past decade.

Those 215 deaths included 27 in 2023, the second highest number in any Victorian municipality during the period.

“The tragedy is that the overdose deaths that have occurred in Geelong were entirely preventable,” Dr Mansfield said.

She said not only do medically supervised injecting rooms save lives, they prevent overdoses by providing immediate treatment and link people to support services.

“With the arrival of potent synthetic opioids like fentanyl and nitazines in Geelong, there is the real risk of a huge escalation in overdose deaths,” she said.

“The need for proven harm reduction measures like medically supervised injecting rooms has never been more urgent.”

However, Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt said on Thursday there were no plans for an injecting room in Geelong.

Almost three-in-four respondents to an Addy poll support the government’s position.

Premier Jacinta Allan in April abandoned plans for a second injecting room in Melbourne, a decision that ignored the advice of former Victorian Police Commissioner Ken Lay.

In doing so, she said injecting rooms were no longer on the government’s agenda.

Instead, Labor committed $36.4m to building a health service hub on Flinders St and appointing a “chief addiction adviser” within the Department of Health.

The hub is expected to open in 2026.

The government also said it would invest $8.4m to boost pharmacotherapy in up to 30 locations across the state through a grants program targeting areas of high-demand.

“People struggling with addiction deserve our care wherever they are, and our statewide plan will save lives with a new community health service for the city while boosting support services in our suburbs and regions,” Ms Allan said at the time.

A man passed out after injecting drugs at the nearby Richmond injecting room. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Geraghty.

The state opposition said the abandonment of a second injecting room was a win for residents, traders and visitors to Melbourne’s CBD.

“Now that this overdue decision has been made, the focus must shift to delivering services that will address the worsening rates of drug-addiction that continue to grow under the Allan Labor Government,” mental health spokeswoman Emma Kealy said.

The family of Geelong man Jye Vessey, who died from an overdose last year, launched a petition calling for a safe injecting room to be established in Geelong.

“We need to acknowledge this as the national health problem it is,” mum Debbie Brady said.

The petition gathered almost 6600 signatures, short of its 7500 target.

Earlier: Victorian Coroners Court report reveals rise in overdose deaths in Geelong                            

More Geelong residents are dying after overdosing on drugs, new data has revealed.

The Victorian Coroners Court showed overdose deaths in Greater Geelong increased from 22 in 2022 to 27 last year.

This was the highest number of fatalities in regional Victoria and included 10 people who died after overdosing on heroin.

The report revealed 215 people have died after a drug overdose in Greater Geelong since 2014.

Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association chief executive Chris Christoforou said the increase in deaths was “concerning” as it reflected a growth in alcohol and drug harm across the region.

“Whilst heroin and other drug related overdose data fluctuates year to year, deaths related to

heroin and other opioids continue to increase in regional Victoria,” he said.

The report showed 547 people died after an overdose across Victoria – the second highest number of fatalities on record.

State Coroner Judge John Cain said the new data was “deeply troubling”.

“These deaths are preventable and we must strengthen our public health response and increase access to supports and treatment,” he said.

“Drug-related harms are complex and are driven by a variety of factors including changes in drug use, availability and regulation.”

Mr Christoforou said every person who has died by overdose had loved ones who were still feeling their loss.

He said the data had also renewed calls for medically supervised injecting rooms, including in Geelong.

“The need for medically supervised injecting rooms has not disappeared with the decision to not proceed with a (Melbourne) CBD injecting room,” he said.

“This includes for regions where there are high levels of intravenous related substance harm such as Geelong.”

Barwon Health harm reduction co-ordinator Craig Harvey agreed Geelong’s rates of fatal overdose was “very concerning”.

Barwon Health harm reduction co-ordinator Craig Harvey with naloxone, a heroin overdose reversal agent. Picture: Alan Barber.

“Our harm reduction service is working hard to reduce these outcomes, as well as other negative consequences associated with drug use,” he said.

“The use of multiple drugs greatly increases the risk of fatal overdose in particular central nervous system depressants such as benzodiazepines and alcohol.”

Barwon Health offers naloxone, which is used to reverse opioid overdose including heroin, for free from its Corio Community Health Centre and Mental Health and Wellbeing Hub on Moorabool St in the CBD.

Patients can also access naloxone by calling its mobile harm reduction service on 1800 196 850.

A recent report from the Pennington Institute showed there had been a 56 per cent spike in Geelong residents accidentally overdosing on drugs from 60 in 2008-2012 to 94 in 2018-2022.

The content summaries were created with the assistance of AI technology, then edited and approved for publication by an editor.

Originally published as The Greens’ Sarah Mansfield says new overdose data reinforces case for safe injecting room in Geelong