Thursday, 20 June 2024

Medically supervised injecting facilities

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:19): (577) My question is to the Minister for Mental Health. Minister, you have previously told the house:

… there has been no decision made about the location of a CBD supervised injecting service.

However, a letter from former Minister Foley to the Treasurer states that:

I am writing to seek your endorsement to acquire 244 Flinders Street, Melbourne, to deliver the Melbourne supervised injecting room …

Minister, why have you misled the house and misled Victorians?

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:19): I completely reject the assertion that Ms Crozier made in her question. What the documents show – the documents that have been produced in accordance with the orders to produce documents – is that we have as a government spent extensive time looking for an appropriate site, and as I have stated in the chamber on a number of occasions, we clearly needed to find a location that balanced the needs of both those people who use drugs in the CBD and also the broader CBD community. Despite having purchased 244 Flinders Street with the intention of delivering a second injecting service, the government have ultimately come to the view that we will not be pursuing a second injecting service in the CBD. We have been very clear about the reasons for that. We have announced the statewide strategy for taking action to reduce drug harm right across the state, including in the CBD, and of course we have announced that we will be investing in a community health hub at that site. That will provide important wraparound supports for drug users in the community. It will be the location of the hydromorphone trial, which is an important option for people who have been resistant to other opioid treatments. We are getting on and delivering the policies and the initiatives that are going to help people get the treatment they need and help people turn their lives around and break their addiction.

David Davis interjected.

Georgie Crozier: Yes, correct. I think they all lie.

Harriet Shing: On a point of order, President, Ms Crozier has just made an assertion, and I would seek that she withdraw that on the basis that it is unparliamentary.

The PRESIDENT: I actually did not hear it. Ms Crozier, would you like to withdraw?

Georgie Crozier: I am happy to withdraw, President.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Georgie Crozier: But I do stand by it.

Harriet Shing: On a point of order, President –

Georgie Crozier: I’ve withdrawn.

Harriet Shing: Then as you were sitting down you said, ‘But I stand by it.’ That is not a withdrawal, Ms Crozier.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: Order! I was going to give you a leave pass, Ms Crozier. But you have indicated that you might have said what the minister has referred to, so can I ask you to withdraw without any extras.

Georgie Crozier: I withdraw, President.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you.

Georgie CROZIER (Southern Metropolitan) (12:23): My supplementary to the minister: after abandoning a second injecting room in the central CBD, the Premier said that:

We have been unable to find a location …

Minister, the letter from Mr Foley states that Mr Lay assessed over 40 potential sites, including 244 Flinders Street, which was bought specifically to become a second injecting room, so will you release the list of all potential sites?

Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ageing, Minister for Multicultural Affairs) (12:23): I thank Ms Crozier for her supplementary question. I want to take issue with the way that it has been framed, though, because it very deliberately cherrypicks a particular quote from the Premier without the full context of what she was talking about. This is the kind of stock-in-trade that we get from those opposite, including the continued stigmatisation of people who are in one of the most vulnerable positions in our community.

Georgie Crozier: On a point of order, President, my question was very specific around the over 40 potential sites that are cited in the letter from Mr Foley about Mr Lay. I would ask you to bring the minister back to the question.

The PRESIDENT: I believe the minister has been relevant, but I will bring her back to the particular question.

Ingrid STITT: The point that I am making about the selective quotes that Ms Crozier gave in her supplementary question is that the government has been very clear about the reasons why a second injecting service was not pursued in the CBD. That went to the question of finding an appropriate site that balances the needs of both those that use drugs and the broader CBD community. That is the story. Those are the facts, and selective quotes being used in question time do nothing to change those facts.