Primary schools complain about rampant drug use in Richmond

PRIMARY schools have complained about the rampant use and selling of drugs at a notorious crime-ridden street in Melbourne’s inner east.

PRIMARY schools have complained about the rampant use and selling of drugs at a notorious crime-ridden street in Richmond.

Illegal activity around Victoria St appears to be rising and a community-wide solution to improve public safety is crucial, says Yarra Council.

Yarra councillors have voted for a process to bring together police, local traders, residents and health and social services workers to fix the problem.

“Residents, visitors and businesses report continual adverse amenity impacts including the presence of syringes on streets and in public rubbish bins, the use of private homes with access to water for drug use ... the high level of use of the public spaces for injecting drug use and reports of property crime,” said a report to council.

It said that two local primary schools were among organisations concerned about the impacts of drug use and selling.

Victoria St, which straddles Richmond and Abbotsford, is a popular Asian dining precinct and is a prominent Vietnamese community hub.

The council wants the State Government to allow a supervised drug injecting facility as a health measure and claims that traders also support a trial of a mobile facility.

Businesses have long called for the installation of CCTV cameras in the area, with the council to consider a security camera pilot offered by the Government.

The report said there was no simple solution to the problem and there would be “trade-offs” which need to occur.

Yarra mayor Cr Roberto Colanzi admitted that the public safety and amenity issues in Victoria St

were entrenched and complex.

“We want to gather the views of all people with a stake in Victoria St and develop a vision for the precinct that includes good public safety, amenity and visitor experience,” he said.

“And identify various authorities and organisations that can help us in addressing the existing health, safety and amenity issues.”

Council officers are due to report back on the issue next month.

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