Melbourne traders, police welcome scrapping second injecting room, supporters say decision ‘will cost lives’
Melbourne traders and the police union have welcomed the decision to dump plans for a second supervised injecting room in the CBD, while supporters say the “spineless captain’s call” will cost lives.
Victoria
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Melbourne traders and the police union have welcomed the decision to dump plans for a second supervised injecting room in the CBD while supporters of such a facility have branded the Allan government’s announcement a “spineless captain’s call”.
Business owners along busy tourist dining strip Degraves St said they were “very pleased” with the news that the state government had scrapped the idea of opening an injection room in the CBD.
Xpressomondo owner Johnny Sandish said it was “welcome news” after “years of uncertainty”.
“I’m very happy. It’s a big relief,” he said.
Waffle On owner Marc Laucher said while he was happy an injecting room would not be located on Flinders St, something had to be done to help drug users.
“It’s very good news but we have to do something for people that need the help,” he said.
“I don’t think (Flinders St) is the right option, especially with so many tourists around this end of the city.”
Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said the state government’s decision was the right one, with the police union previously backing the cohort of businesses and residents opposing an injecting room in the CBD.
“We have long argued that it would be unwise to replicate the North Richmond MSIR (medically supervised injecting room) in the CBD, given the problems that have plagued the centre,” he said.
“This is a pragmatic decision and one that is in the interests of a vast majority of residents, traders and visitors to the city.”
Australian Hotels Association Victoria chief Paddy O’Sullivan welcomed not only the decision to scrap plans for a second injecting room, but the announcement of a new community health hub on Flinders St and a $95m statewide action plan.
“With significant retail, hospitality and entertainment precincts of our city experiencing customer activity beyond pre-Covid levels, it continues to be a priority to provide effective and appropriate services to those experiencing drug and addiction problems,” he said.
“It is important that effective health-based services are available to homeless, drug-affected and other disadvantaged people within our communities.”
Victorian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Paul Guerra said the state government had “threaded the right passage”.
“It’s the right step forward to protect businesses, but it’s also the right step forward to help those who are vulnerable in the community,” he said.
“We actually think it’s a brave look for the Allan government to take the input from Ken Lay, from the community and from the business community.
“They’ve supported business because no business wanted an injection room on their doorstop, but they’ve also put their arms around the vulnerable.”
Mr Guerra said putting an end to the injecting room uncertainty after four years will instil confidence in the city as it continues to bounce back post-pandemic.
“We understand the city has been beset by drug users. This will be the start of helping those drug users get the support they need without proceeding with an injection room which would have had a diabolical impact on the CBD,” he said.
“It’s a good outcome for business, it’s a good outcome for tourists and it’s a good outcome for the safety and perceptions of the CBD.”
Pellegrini’s Espresso Bar owner David Malaspina said it was a “relief” that an injecting room would not be located in the Salvation Army building on Bourke St as had been speculated last year.
“We hoped that common sense would prevail because for us the proposed Salvation Army site was just not appropriate at all for so many reasons, so we’re really relieved,” he told the Herald Sun.
“There wasn’t any consultation with traders or with residents so we felt very strongly that (Bourke St) was the wrong location.
“It’s not that the community isn’t against an injecting room but it was the location they felt it was not appropriate.”
CBD resident Rafael Camillo added that the city was “not the place” for drug rehabilitation centres.
“How can you have rehabilitation centres in the city where it is very easy for people to buy and use drugs?” he asked.
Elsewhere, North Richmond resident Sharon Neven, who has lived in the suburb for more than 20 years, said residents were angered that calls to move the controversial injecting room from their area had been “ignored”.
“Seeing as the CBD won’t proceed as the government is saying it doesn’t meet the needs of the broader community, it angers us that our calls to move the injecting room have fallen on deaf ears,” she said.
“If it’s not OK for the CBD, then how is it OK for North Richmond?
“We are still seeing drug users openly injecting daily and schoolchildren continue to be confronted with anti-social behaviour.”
Lyn Dixon, who lived in the area for more than 10 years and attends North Richmond Community Health for medical appointments, added that local residents had been “forgotten”.
“I wouldn’t have liked to see Melbourne’s CBD inundated with drug users just like Richmond,” she said.
“All the pro-injecting room groups say the facility has cleaned up the area but it’s all rubbish.
“There are still needles everywhere and the anti-social behaviour is rife.”
Opposition Leader John Pesutto branded the state government’s decision a “massive backflip” that proved it had a “half-baked” drug and alcohol strategy.
He said the opposition was undecided on whether it would introduce legislation to scrap the North Richmond injecting room, but argued the cost of running the facility would be better spent on statewide rehabilitation services.
“We haven’t made that decision but we are now very concerned about the future of North Richmond,” he said.
“We have always said it shouldn’t be located next to the school.
“You have to ask why tie up resources in any one location by way of injecting them and not invest those funds into rehabilitation beds and treatment beds right across the state.”
Mr Pesutto said ditching the injecting room in the CBD was “the right decision” but had come far too late, noting that the state had recorded a 40 per cent increase in wait times over the past four years.
“Drug and alcohol use across our state is rising, not falling and yet the government has wasted four years … (and) needlessly put businesses, residents and visitors to our great city through uncertainty,” he said.
Former Victorian MP Fiona Patten, who was a key advocate in setting up the North Richmond injecting room, warned people would die.
“I’m extremely disappointed that again when it comes to drug policy the government has ignored the evidence and the experts,” she said.
“North Richmond is the busiest supervised injecting centre in the world and yesterday the World Health Organisation was in Melbourne warning of dangerous new opioids hitting our shore.
“To ignore the warnings, to ignore the Lay report and all of the experts will mean people will die and families will lose loved ones.
“Overdose deaths are double that of the road toll but we are doing nothing about it.”
Outgoing Lord Mayor Sally Capp said she welcomed a “statewide response to a statewide problem”.
“The announcement of a dedicated, comprehensive approach to long-term health and social support will make a positive difference to more people’s lives,” she said.
“Speculation about a second injecting room has created uncertainty for city traders, residents and workers.
“We now have a resolution to the Ken Lay report and can move forward with improving health and amenity in the city.”
But Victorian Greens drug harm reduction spokesman Aiv Puglielli slammed the decision as a “spineless captain’s call”.
“The new premier’s refusal to open a Melbourne injecting room is gutless and will leave countless Victorians vulnerable,” he said.
“Many lives will be lost following this spineless captain’s call.
“Labor, get a grip — injecting rooms and drug checking saves lives.”
Turning Point director Dan Lubman said he was disappointed by the news, adding “when it comes to addiction, the best evidence and most effective harm reduction approaches are too often ignored”.
“There is an established body of local and international evidence that shows that supervised injecting services are effective harm reduction and lifesaving initiatives,” he said.
“These services ensure people do not fatally overdose, and reduce demand on ambulance and emergency services. They also connect people with other health and support services.
“The Ryan Review of the Richmond facility found that since its establishment in 2018, the site has achieved its central objective: saving lives.
“It’s imperative we continue to provide this level of care for everyone.”
The Keep our City Live group – which represented residents, businesses and health professionals who supported an injecting room in the CBD – said the decision would mean “lives will continue to be lost unnecessarily”.
The group slammed the other measures to tackle drug addiction as a “Band-Aid solution”.
“This announcement does not go far enough and represents a Band-Aid solution to a broader issue,” the group said in a statement.
“Despite former Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police Ken Lay’s report recommending the Victorian government open a second supervised injecting service, the Victorian government has chosen to ignore this advice for short term political gain.
“People who inject drugs come from all walks of life and are our family, friends and work colleagues.”
Monash Addiction Research Centre Professor Suzanne Nielsen said Melbourne had the country’s “highest rates of heroin harm” and the city “urgently need” more harm reduction interventions like supervised injecting rooms.
“The government made a clear commitment to a second site years ago now and if anything, the need has become greater and the evidence has become stronger,” she said.
“Not supporting this service and having people injecting drugs unsafely in public places in the CBD, where they could have been supported in a health service is not a win for traders or the community.”
Victorian ambulance union general secretary Danny Hill said the CBD was “missing out” on a service that helps cut down on ambulance call-outs.
“Richmond injecting room has safely dealt with 6000 (overdoses) that otherwise would have happened in the street,” he said on X, formerly known as Twitter.
Mr Hill said the impact of 6000 fewer calls was equivalent to the state government opening another ambulance station in Richmond.
“CBD missing out on the same,” he said.
Cohealth, a community health service whose city clinic near the Queen Victoria Market was once named as a preferred location, welcomed the announcement of a new community health hub on Flinders St.
But chief executive Nicole Bartholomeusz said the organisation supported a second injecting room and would continue to advocate for one.
“Although the new Flinders St community health service will not incorporate an overdose prevention facility (supervised injecting room), today’s announcement is a significant step forward in the way we can help people in the CBD who are struggling with addiction, mental health, and homelessness,” she said.
Cohealth was one of more than 20 leaders from various health organisations – including the Australian Medical Association and Royal Australian College of General Practitioners – who wrote an open letter to the premier in February, calling on her to “urgently” open an injecting room in the CBD.
They warned dozens of people had died in the three years since the state government first promised to open a second facility.
Royal Australian College of General Practitioners president Dr Nicole Higgins said the decision was “disappointing” and a “huge missed opportunity”.
“Services like this save lives at risk,” she said.
“A CBD site would have reduced drug-related harm and connected people with support services.”
Swinburne psychopharmacology expert Dr Amie Hayley also said the move was disappointing.
“This goes against increasing evidence showing better health outcomes among people who access these types of services, including lower rates of overdoses and deaths, and greater access to support services such as legal and housing,” she said.
“Access to health facilities such as safe injecting spaces means that healthcare professionals can quickly intervene to prevent overdose or death. Community harm reduction services such as these are therefore vital, and removing access to these spaces puts already vulnerable people at a greater disadvantage.”
Victorian Alcohol and Drug Association chief executive Chris Christoforou said the announcement was “bittersweet”.
“VAADA will continue to advocate on the need for a medically supervised injecting facility in the CBD and other high risk areas of Victoria. Fear and stigma continue to cruel good public policy,” he said.
“There will be many Victorians, including families who have lost loved ones to overdose, who will be saddened by the government’s announcement that they will not proceed with a CBD medically supervised injecting facility.”
Harm Reduction Victoria chief executive Sione Crawford said the lack of safe spaces to consume drugs was “driving overdose rates” and causing “significant harms to our community”.
He called for the state government to have “smaller, peer-based safer drug consumption spaces”.
“This will reduce the burden on amenity in surrounding areas and truly empower people who use drugs to keep ourselves, our friends and our communities safe from overdose and drug-related harms,” he said.
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