Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Lives are being saved in Melbourne thanks to the medically safe injecting centre in North Richmond. But now is the time to explore expanding the trial to other areas of Melbourne to ensure that the trial succeeds and that Richmond residents aren't the only ones dealing with the challenges. I'm proud to have worked alongside my Victorian Greens colleagues for many years as part of the community campaign to deliver a trial of the safe injecting facility in my electorate Melbourne. Since it was opened over a year ago, staff have responded to over 1,232 overdoses. That's more than 1,232 lives which might have been lost had this facility not existed. Ambulance Victoria figures show a reduction in call-outs, suspected drug overdoses and patients being transported to hospital. Medically supervised injecting facilities save lives but there is more we need to do.

The Victorian government made the right decision to start the trial but they are not delivering the centre properly, ignoring the feedback and concern of local residents and leaving them in the dark, jeopardising its social licence and making amenity worse for many locals. It is time to seriously explore expanding the trial with more injecting facilities across the city and deeper community consultations. We also need to review whether the exclusions to the centre are appropriate or are having an impact.

Addiction is a health issue, not a criminal one. The North Richmond supervised injecting centre is saving lives and now is not the time to turn our backs on the challenge. I'll continue to work with my colleagues at the state and local level as well as the community to protect, expand and improve the facilities in Melbourne and improve resident amenity.