ALP candidate under heat over ‘meeting place’ remarks

A candidate for the Victorian election has come under intense criticism after claiming a local facility has become a “meeting place” for Aboriginal elders.

A Labor candidate for an inner-city seat in November’s Victoria state election has come under intense criticism after claiming a controversial drug injection facility had become a meeting place for aboriginal elders.

Lauren O’Dwyer, who will contest the seat of Richmond, told a local candidates forum she took her daughter “down to that particular meeting room to meet mob”.

The candidate, an Indigenous woman, added it had become “a gathering space for a lot of traditional owners”.

The comments have drawn a stunning rebuke from Wurundjeri senior elder Ron Jones, from the Wurundjeri Woi Wurrung Cultural Heritage Corporation, who disputed Ms O’Dwyer’s remarks, saying she “had created a bad image for all aboriginal elders”.

Labor’s candidate for the state seat of Richmond, Lauren O’Dwyer, pictured with Premier Dan Andrews, said a controversial injecting room had become a meeting place for aboriginal elders.

“It’s not a bloody meeting place,” Mr Jones told NCA NewsWire.

“Maybe Mr Andrews needs to have a look at who he’s putting up for election,” he said.

Mr Jones said he had been sent a video of the remarks being made by multiple people after an article which featured them was published in the Herald Sun on Friday morning.

He said Ms O’Dwyer had “no right” to label it as a meeting place.

Ms O’Dwyer, an advisor at the Melbourne Arts Centre who identifies as a Yorta Yorta indigenous woman, made the remarks in the context of a discussion over the controversial Medically Supervised Injecting Room in North Richmond.

The injecting room has become a vexed local issue, with local media reporting it has led to a substantial increase in littered syringes and public injecting.

A man shooting up near Richmond’s controversial Medically Supervised Injecting Room. Picture: Jason Edwards

Last year a man was found dead near Richmond West Primary School, which is located next to the injecting room, forcing students to be redirected away from the main entrance.

Ms O’Dwyer’s remarks also drew criticism from Liberal candidate for Richmond Lucas Moon, who told NCA NewsWire “it’s not even safe for me – and I’m 6’6 and ex-military.”

“I wouldn’t take my three kids there,” Mr Moon said. “It’s just not right.”

Ms O’Dwyer also made headlines in The Herald Sun after her public criticism of Mr Andrews’ decision to rename Maroondah Hospital after the late Queen Elizabeth.

“As a first nations person, one of the things I’m looking forward to once I get into parliament, and once treaty is fully ratified, is working within those self-determined processes and working with those leaders to ensure that Maroondah Hospital is looked at as part of a broader audit with all public buildings, statues and names,” she said.

Ms O’Dwyer was contacted for comment by NCA NewsWire.