Medically supervised injecting facilities
Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:04): (66) My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Mental Health. Minister, the Andrews government has announced that it will accept all recommendations made in the review of the medically supervised injecting room except one: expanding access to the injecting room to include peer partner injecting, pregnant people and people on court orders. I know that these groups have as much right to be resuscitated as any other. We welcome the government’s commonsense, enthusiastic approach to harm reduction, but I ask: why carve out these particular recommendations?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:05): I thank Mr Puglielli for his question. You are correct, there are recommendations that the government has accepted and there are recommendations that the government has said it will not be accepting at this time, and I am sure that the Minister for Mental Health will be happy to provide a comprehensive answer to your question.
Aiv PUGLIELLI (North-Eastern Metropolitan) (12:06): I thank the minister for referring the question on for an answer. Minister, the Richmond facility is under immense pressure due to it being the only designated safe injecting room in our state. We also know that people are not just injecting drugs in North Richmond. The data shows that people are injecting drugs in many locations across Victoria. Will this government commit to meeting the demand for these services by opening further supervised injecting facilities in locations where there is evidence of community need?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:06): I thank Mr Puglielli for his supplementary question, and I will pass that on to the minister. I thank him for his interest in this matter.