Controversial site for second injecting room one of many options

The proposed site for Melbourne’s second injecting room – opposite Queen Victoria Market – was selected over a host of other sites, with some in Melbourne council fearing the plan will damage one of the city’s top tourist attractions.

The proposed site for Melbourne’s second injecting room at 53 Victoria St. Picture: Wayne Taylor

The controversial proposed site for the state’s second supervised injecting room was selected ahead of up to eight other city sites canvassed by the state government.

The Herald Sun can reveal at least one of the alternative sites, in Roden St, West Melbourne, has been deemed more suitable by some close to the project.

But the government’s preferred site, opposite the Queen Victoria Market, emerged as the favourite after a two-week site selection process.

Critics of the selection have questioned how a thorough assessment could have been made of each of the proposed sites.

It is understood City of Melbourne senior figures raised concerns with the state government about the site at a briefing this week.

Queen Victoria Market is one of Melbourne’s top tourist destinations. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

It is feared the facility will negatively impact one of the city’s most popular tourist attractions.

The government has refused to detail the other sites considered alongside the proposed Queen Victoria Market site.

But it is understood the City of Melbourne will lobby the government to reconsider its selection.

The site was chosen after a panel of experts recommended the proposed injecting room be located near to an illicit drug market and a wider network of services.

A sign outside the proposed site for the second injecting room. Picture Wayne Taylor

Based on that criteria the Department of Health and Human Services flagged the 53 Victoria St at CoHealth Central City as a preferred site.

Mental Health minister Martin Foley said the government remained open to choosing a different site.

“We have established a preferred site for the second facility in the City of Melbourne based on the set of criteria provided in the review by the panel of experts,” he said.

“If, in our work consulting with the local council, they locate a different site that also meets the criteria set by that panel, then we’ll remain open to that.

“We’ll be conducting a thorough consultation process that will examine the criteria the independent review set out – including a range of local factors like health and social service providers and expectations of local residents.”

Mr Foley said a review of the state’s first injecting room, in North Richmond, had found the facility was “doing exactly what it is designed to do – saving lives and changing lives.”

The review recommended extending the North Richmond trial by another three years and setting up a second safe injecting room in the City of Melbourne.

There were 51 heroin-related deaths in the area between January 2015 and September 2019.

[e-mail]

@s_deery

READ MORE

A DAY IN VICTORIA’S HEROIN EPICENTRE

REVIEW EXPOSES INJECTING ROOM CULTURE CLASH

Originally published as Controversial site for second injecting room one of many options