Business shoots down Melbourne injecting room

[Divine Moments]

Hopefully this goes ahead. I'm still surprised how much opposition there can be in the face of conclusive evidence through the successes of the Kings Cross facility


Business shoots down Melbourne injecting room

Local business owners are against a move to set up a drug injecting room in Melbourne's inner-east, saying it would become a honey pot that will attract more users to the streets.

Last night the Yarra Council voted six-to-one in favour of a trial for a supervised room for heroin users in Richmond.

But a major stumbling block for the local council in getting the room's go-ahead is the Victorian Government, which opposes drug injecting rooms.

Premier Ted Baillieu says the Government will not consider the proposal.

Many residents are also in support of the move, but businesses say while drug use is a serious problem in the area, an injecting room is not the answer.

Vinnie Lee, the president of the Victoria Street Traders Association, says opening an injecting room will only encourage more people to use heroin.

He says CCTV cameras are the answer.

"The CCTV of course help police and could help us," he said.

"In Sydney... they got the cameras and it has worked well."

But if the callers to ABC Local Radio in Melbourne this morning are anything to go by, people overwhelmingly support the idea of trialing the supervised drug injecting room.

"From a personal point of view, it's just going to clean the street up and make it a lot safer," said one local, who lives near the streets known as the ground zero of Melbourne's heroin trade.

"If it saves just one life I think it's definitely a well worth activity too, well worth a trial."

Another resident said they would welcome any move to get heroin away from residential areas.

"Last year I saw some people shooting up in a car in front of my house ... that was maybe two or three metres from my front door. I regularly see needles and you see dealers all the time," the resident said.

"If it can shift that away from a public space and to somewhere where it's contained, I'm in favour."

Those who support the idea of an injecting room in Richmond point to a similar set up in Sydney, where the Kings Cross injecting rooms have been in operation for 10 years.

Dr Marianne Jauncey, the medical director in charge of the Kings Cross facilities, says most businesses supported the service.

"That's now gone up to 70 per cent. It's a similar picture among the residents - the increase of support over time," she said.

Dr Jauncey says there are 91 injecting rooms in the world and they save lives.

Classic ignorance from "Vinnie Lee" right there

 

[Jabberwocky]

Such a shame...

 

[Azron]

May not be the answer but would help... If CCTV were to work, they'll just change locations.

CCTV will put addicts in jail. That'll fix it! (Not)

 

[Crankinit]

"In Sydney... they got the cameras and it has worked well."

In Sydney they got the injecting room and it worked well...

 

[psytaco]

I doubt Vinnie Lee is any sort of authority on crime and drug policy, nor on the English language for that matter.

Most intelligent people realise that CCTV cameras will do little other than move the dealing off Victoria street to somewhere else where there are no cameras. Alot of the residents would realise this, and probably fear that the dealing would end up on residential streets.

With a bit of luck rationality will win here. Injecting rooms reduce the risk of sharing needles & needle stick injury - meaning less HIV and other such diseases. It will also mean overdose sufferers can get onsite medical assistance instead of dying in an alleyway or stairwell. Also, diversion services to counselling or detox will be offered or at least information about them given, so people can get off smack if they want too. So many positives could come out of this.

Sadly, rationality isn't enough in todays modern world :/

 

[wazza]

How the fuck are there so many dickheads that get to have their say in various forms of media. And do they have ANY common sense in their brains? As said, CCTV will literally just move the deals onto streets where there aren't cameras, like 1-5 minutes walk away. And I guess they just don't want to listen to anything that might actually have harm reduction in mind. Again, as said. Putting (extra) people in gaol is their plan???? In the time of 'budget cuts' and financial crisis being highlighted in media, doesn't it take that much to realise more people in gaol means more money, costs from putting them in detention/gaol where 'little people' may learn 'harder crime' and/or meet 'bigger people' in regards to crime.

Also extra policing, court stuff and of course the idiots spending $$$ on advertising (proudly) how much 'safer' we are from all these extra people being jailed [and some/most? learning to be harder arses for future]. Plus the extra costs on the health system as said again. God, I just can't understand some of the people that are oxygen thieves and yet seem to be in positions of power, some even 'running' us as a society. Is this some sort of sick dream?

Sad thing is that the main political parties just keep seeming to melt into each other's pockets and seem to be the same sad monster more and more each year/election. Well, can't say much else that hasn't already been said in here.

 

[ritewing]

As a person that likes to hang around richmond, i'd support the idea of a shooting gallery. I honestly don't think that the dealers or junkies are a problem at all, as i've never seem them abuse or assault bystanders. And victoria street is as busy as ever, i dont think business is lacking.

And you hardly ever see police on victoria street... maybe thats a good thing.. as least the dealing and using is confined to one area!

 

[psytaco]

^ to be honest, I don't think most people would notice the heroin use and trade in Victoria Street if they weren't alerted to it in the first place. Its not like its an out in the open free for all like the open air drug markets in 'the wire'.

I only really noticed the extra junkies and the odd dealer giving me a raised eyebrow after a friend who lives in the area told me what was going on.

And yeah, business in victoria street always seems to be thriving on the weekends. Its still probably one of the best places in Melbourne to go for Vietnamese restuarants or to buy from asian groceries.

 

[MrIbis]

^Where do you get your facts from(ritewing)?

I personally score from this area some times - theres cops everywhere - you just don't see them *wink* . Just last week actually we bought from this asian guy with a mouth full of deal baloons... not 10m walk up the road (and since i look pretty clean and well cut) junkie looking guys searching some other junkie looking guys whilst holding out little 'wallets', in which contained police badges.

Perhaps it's time you opened your eyes?

The shooting gallery is a good idea, it'll take the messy shit off the streets.

 

[wazza]

When I used to live in Richmond until about a year ago, we had no problem eating in Bridge Road often. Even now being a father of 1 and soon to be 2, I'd still take the kids/family to eat there even if the big bad scary dealers were there (ends sarcasm). There are probably parents out there who think dealers give H to kids of ages 1-3 to 'hook' them into being heroin addicts and hence too scared to take family to/near Bridge Road due to the media 'alert'.

Not like there were plenty of families eating out each time we'd eat there, oh that's right. The 2-3 year olds probably were H junkies behind their parent's backs and scoring whilst the parents ate in blissful ignorance.... *coughs*

 

[ritewing]

Has anyone else noticed that Victoria street is eerily quiet compared to what it was before this story hit the news headlines!!! Not that it makes any difference as it's just as easy to score as it was before... people are just more discreet about it now. I spoke to a few dealers yesterday and they reckon give it about a month until things settle down again.

MRibis, i've spent alot of time on Victoria street and around the flats in particular as i have an addiction problem. I can say that i've seen lots of undercover police but word gets out and everyone hides lol. I've witnessed many arrests there as well but i would definatley say that the area is underpoliced (which is a good thing). I think cops have turned a blind eye in the past to the area a little... and grr dont you hate it when they wrap it up in a tiny balloon! They are so hard to open sometimes!!!!

But come on Ted, im a Liberal voter and i want safe injecting rooms.

 

[Big B]

Someone in my family used to run their business next to a famous 'clinic' in Victoria Park just south of Perth. This 'clinic' is very controversial at the best of times. There were addicts always loitering around her business, doggy people coming into the business trying to steal things/asking to use the toilet etc etc. Not only did she cop it, her clients used to have a nice welcome when they returned to their vehicle to find it had been broken into. This happened every day.

She left the area and moved locations purely because of this 'clinic'. It cost her over $70K to do so.

I can understand why local business does not want the injecting room and I agree it will attract bad people to the area. Not all people who used to loiter around my family members business were clients of the 'clinic'. The truth is many were there to score.

I'm all for HR and injecting rooms. However, they have to put it in an isolated location away from homes, schools, parks and businesses. Where that place is I have no idea.........