Restaurateurs, hotels, residents and police say CBD injecting room risks safety and Melbourne’s reputation

An extraordinary coalition of food legends, business owners, police and residents has united against a CBD injecting centre.

An extraordinary coalition of food legends, business owners and residents is rallying against a drug injecting centre in the CBD because it would be unsafe and ruin the city’s heritage.

In a letter to the Andrews Government, traders from institutions such as Grossi Florentino, Becco, Di Stasio and Pellegrinis say Melbourne is fighting to revitalise after a tough few years and the “the future of our city is at risk if this injecting room proceeds”.

The campaign has been backed by the powerful Police Association, which says the CBD would be the wrong location for injecting rooms and put a strain on the force that “far exceeds the available resources”.

The government is considering several sites for a second medically-supervised centre, including at the Salvation Army headquarters on Bourke St – across the road from some of Melbourne's most famous restaurants.

Guy Grossi along with other business owners who are opposed to the CBD injecting room. Picture: David Crosling

Signatories to the letter raise concerns about vulnerable young children jumping off trams with friends and family “excited for ‘Harry Potter’, ‘Mary Poppins’ or ‘Mamma Mia’”, just metres from where addicts would be injecting dangerous substances.

“While the welfare of drug users is one consideration to be made, this should not be to the detriment of the safety and wellbeing of workers, commuters, residents, customers and visitors,” it says.

“Injecting rooms are not without significant impact to the safety and amenity of the surrounding communities, and this is well documented. The ramifications would be felt across our city and would damage our reputation nationally and internationally.”

As well as a cavalcade of famous chefs and food industry leaders, the letter is signed by the general manager of the new five star hotel Le Meridien, property owners, and retailers.

They say people in need should be given support but that “a supervised injecting room should not be located at the Salvation Army on Bourke Street or anywhere in the CBD”.

Police Association secretary Wayne Gatt said the union “stand with the traders, with the residents and the wider community on this proposal”.

“The top of Bourke Street and the CBD in general is the wrong place to put an injecting room,” he said.

“The traders you see here, have built this part of the city to what it is. We can’t allow it to be torn down by an ill-considered proposal.

“From a policing perspective, the CBD is a particularly complex area. Having a significant additional policing responsibility placed in a highly populated community, family and tourist hub, will place a strain on our police that far exceeds the available resources.

“We’ve seen how problematic the Richmond facility has been to the area and its residents. Let’s not repeat that mistake in a higher density, more complex and frankly beloved part of our city. If this was to go ahead, the city will never get back what will be lost.”

A government spokeswoman said: “Ken Lay’s report has been provided to the Minister for Mental Health.

“We are considering its recommendations and will release the report, and a government response, in due course.”