Thursday, 30 July 2026

 Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (14:36): (1396) My question is for the Minister for Mental Health. Two years ago, when your government walked away from its commitment to establish a second medically supervised injecting facility, you also announced a hydromorphone trial. Can you please provide an update to the house about this trial?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Government Services, Special Minister of State, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria) (14:36): I thank Dr Mansfield for her question and her interest in and commitment to these issues. They are important issues. Of course when the government announced that we would not be pursuing a second medically supervised injecting room, we did so for a number of important reasons, one of which was that, despite an extensive search for an appropriate location, we were unable to find a location where the facility would not be met with significant community opposition, so our government determined that we would not be pursuing that. We have been clear that we will continue to support the life-saving work of the medically supervised injecting room in North Richmond. That was the subject of a number of important evidence-based inquiries that recommended that we place that medically supervised injecting room where drug harm was at its most critical.

That service is incredibly important, but it is just one part of our AOD system. We at that time announced the statewide action plan to reduce drug harm and to save lives, and part of the announcement was indeed the hydromorphone trial. We will be commencing that trial very soon. We have been refurbishing 244 Flinders Street, and that is scheduled to open before the end of this year. That will provide a vital hub for mental health and AOD services and other community services in that part of the city where we know that there is a lot of drug harm and disadvantage, and we need to meet people where they are at.

The hydromorphone trial, we are in the process of commissioning a tertiary partner for that trial, and then the next step will be to start recruiting people that will be involved in the trial. It is certainly on track. I am more than happy to keep you abreast of how that is going. But I am looking forward to that service and that health hub opening before the end of the year. I think it will be an absolute game changer down in that part of the city, because we know it is sorely needed.

 Sarah MANSFIELD (Western Victoria) (14:39): Thank you, Minister, for that response. Can I just clarify: will the hydromorphone trial commence this year?

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Government Services, Special Minister of State, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Multicultural and Multifaith Victoria) (14:39): I am happy to provide some details to you and get an update from my department on the exact timing. It is subject to the commissioning of the tertiary partner, which we believe will be on track, and the recruitment of individuals for the trial, but I am happy to provide – outside of the standing orders if that is okay, President – some further details on that for you.