Wednesday, 15 September 2021

 Ms CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (14:12): (1511) My adjournment matter this afternoon is to the Minister for Health, and it relates to the second injecting room and the consultation process undertaken by Mr Ken Lay, AO, APM. Now, as this chamber is well aware, I have spoken about the injecting room in North Richmond, which is next to a primary school, which has caused all manner of grief to that community, whether it is because of the antisocial behaviour, the drug taking, the crime—the really very concerning issues that have arisen in that community. And that community, like the one Dr Bach has just been speaking about, feel that they have not been heard by the government.

Mr Lay was supposed to hand down his report late last year, but we are still none the wiser about where this report is. There are reports, obviously, around the second injecting room going into Flinders Street, into the old Yooralla building. I and my colleague Ms Kealy have been down there and have spoken to those residents and also traders who have been whacked not only by the Metro Tunnel works but by the COVID restrictions, which have decimated the entire CBD, and now an injecting room in there is going to have a further impact.

What I am asking for is for the government to release the report undertaken by Mr Lay so that all Victorians can see the process that has been considered and that we have a thorough understanding of what the government intends to do with this injecting room and indeed any further injecting rooms that might be put across our suburbs.