The Andrews government’s first injecting room in North Richmond has brought a host of social problems, particularly during COVID-19.
This has not dissuaded the government proposing a second at Victoria Market, nor have the injecting room activists held back from proposing another at St Kilda.
“Accidental drug overdose deaths are tragic, but injecting rooms are not the answer,” the Australian Christian Lobby’s spokesperson Jasmine Yuen said. “Social problems arising from the North Richmond facility, and the recently confirmed positive COVID-19 cases in the facility add more frustrations to the already trouble-stricken community.”
“The North Richmond injecting room has been an abject failure of public policy. Just as ACL previously warned, drugs have become more prevalent near the injecting room, creating a hotspot for drug dealers. Proposing more injecting rooms for Victoria – despite the increasing problems around the North Richmond facility – pushes open the floodgates, turning more Victorian communities into drug dens and damaging the safety and livelihood of local communities.
“ACL calls upon the Andrews government to reject calls for an injecting room at St Kilda, abandon its proposed Victoria Market site and close the failed North Richmond experiment. The government should instead send the clear message that illicit drugs are never safe, make drug rehabilitation mandatory for addicts and strongly police street selling.”
“The City of Port Phillip should reject the St Kilda proposal immediately and send a strong message that illicit drug use is not welcome.”
ENDS
