Tuesday, 28 July 2026

 Ann-Marie HERMANS (South-Eastern Metropolitan) (13:08): (2432) My question is for the Minister for Health. Minister, for over a year and a half I have supported the local Springvale community in its advocacy to remove a needle/syringe machine. My constituents are horrified that this government has tried to deceive them by relocating the syringe dispenser to the other side of the Monash Health Community building, just metres away from its previous location. It is still across the road from a Catholic primary school and next to a busy shopping precinct. The syringe dispenser is encouraging drug use and increasing crime and homelessness in Springvale, and people are moving out of the area for safety reasons. Small business owners report drug users injecting themselves in public toilets; rubbish being set alight; human faeces and syringes on footpaths, even around the schools; rough sleepers; assaults and robberies; and brazen drug dealers. Minister, enough is enough. When are you going to remove this needle dispenser and put the community’s safety first?