21st of February 2024, 13:06 | FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Today in the Legislative Council, MPs passed a motion calling on the Victorian Government to release former Police Commissioner Ken Lay’s report into a second medically supervised injecting room in Melbourne’s CBD. The motion received overwhelming support.
Legalise Cannabis MP David Ettershank led the debate. Government members opposed the motion; however, the wider Chamber strongly supported it. The Expert Advisory Report has been with the Government since May 2023. The motion now requires the Government to release the report by 6 March.
The government committed to opening Victoria’s second supervised injecting room in 2020, honouring the recommendations of the Hamilton Report, and acknowledging the clear evidence that an overdose prevention service in the CBD will save lives.
That same year the government established an Expert Advisory Panel led by former police commissioner Ken Lay to examine and report on the effectiveness of medically supervised injecting rooms and the necessity of a supervised injecting room in the CBD.
The panel then conducted extensive research and consultation. As a result, Mr Lay delivered the final report to the Mental Health Minister in May 2023.
However, the Government has not released the report publicly. Today’s vote sends a clear message. The Legislative Council has formally requested that the Government publish the report by 6 March 2024.
The issue is urgent. Nearly 12 per cent of all ambulance call-outs in the City of Melbourne relate to heroin use. Furthermore, in September last year, 20 of Victoria’s leading medical organisations and unions urged the Government to open a supervised injecting room in the CBD. Their support included the AMA, the Royal Australian College of General Practitioners, the Victorian Healthcare Association, HACSU and the Victorian Ambulance Union.
Quotes attributable to David Ettershank MP:
This is a great triumph for transparency that will ultimately facilitate an informed discussion in the community on an important initiative that first and foremost saves lives.
We know, and the Government knows, from the North Richmond experience, that overdose prevention services save not only save lives, they also provide a wrap-around suite of services that provide addicted people with a road back to health, to security and to life.
Premier Allen has committed this government to greater transparency, and that’s to be applauded. Consistent with that commitment, today’s result provides the government with the opportunity to walk the talk when it comes to harm reduction and saving lives affected by addiction.
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