By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Dandenong has been placed on the agenda for a safe injection facility – despite the State Government ruling out such centres beyond Melbourne CBD.
Reason Party leader Fiona Patten nominated Dandenong, Footscray and St Kilda for further facilities beyond the controversial North Richmond centre and a second proposed for Melbourne CBD.
Ms Patten told 3AW on 11 May that the three suburban locations were in line with ambulance call-outs for overdoses.
Opening more injection rooms would improve neighbourhood amenity, she said.
“Residents are trying to give CPR for people dying in carports and front lawns.”
The North Richmond medically-supervised injection room has saved lives, taken pressure off ambulance callouts and emergency departments, according to a state health department panel in 2020.
In its first 18 months, the MSIR safely managed 3200 overdoses in 119,000 visits. It saved at least 21 lives, the report found.
However, the room’s placement next to a primary school and homes has been strongly opposed by residents.
MSIR Residents Action Committee (MRAC) claims the location – the busiest injection room in Australia – has been a “beacon” for drug users across Melbourne as well as drug-dealers.
MRAC member Jonathan Lowe said centres should go in hospitals or industrial areas – not homes and schools.
“Injecting shouldn’t be around children and shouldn’t be around residents.”
He said dispersing the injection rooms to other sites may help solve issues in North Richmond.
But warned that Dandenong might become a similar “honey pot” for users in the wider South East.
“It’s really destroyed our neighbourhood,” Mr Lowe says.
“It’s put a line down the middle of a great community – between people who are for and people are against.”
The worst impact was the rise of anti-social behaviour – people high on drugs, swearing, fighting who “don’t care about the neighbourhood”, Mr Lowe said.
His young children are too scared of being “verbally assaulted” to go on outings to Victoria Street restaurants.
“Data shows that crime is up, street injecting is up, unsociable behaviour up, and all to the detriment of the residents.”
The Police Association of Victoria also reported an increase of crime in the area.
Ms Patten said having five injection rooms would avoid “overloading” North Richmond.
She cited a 1999 report that showed the same suburbs were hotspots for heroin overdoses.
“And 20 years later they still are.
“Not putting one in has not changed that. But putting one in will save lives and will actually help people on a path to recovery.”
In response, Acting Premier James Merlino has reportedly said the Government had no plans beyond “one further injecting room” in Melbourne CBD.
In recent times, anti-social issues and drug paraphenalia at North Richmond had reduced.
