Greens: make injecting centre permanent

Greens: make injecting centre permanent

The Greens candidate for the federal seat of Wentworth, Matthew Robertson, has called on the NSW Government and Opposition to end the trial period for the Kings Cross Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) and make it permanent.

The Centre has operated on a trial basis since it opened a decade ago, despite success in reducing deaths and infection rates among injecting drug users in the area and similar supervised injecting rooms being established in other countries.

“The Medically Supervised Injecting Centre shows the merits of taking a harm-minimisation approach to drug use,” Robertson said.

“The facilities and services it offers have literally saved and improved the lives of hundreds of drug users.”

The centre is tasked with reducing harm associated with illicit drug use by supervising injecting episodes that might otherwise occur in public or in solitary situations where medical aid in the event of an overdose might not be sought. The centre also refers intravenous drug users to drug and other counselling services.

Robertson said the Kings Cross community has benefited from the MSIC.

“By taking illicit drug use off the streets of the Cross, the MSIC has been of immense benefit to the local community by reducing the interaction between drug users and the public in the back lanes,” he said.

“That’s a win for everyone — it’s cleaner, tidier and safer for the users and the community.

“With the NSW Government seemingly set to approve permanency for the centre, I call on Opposition leader Barry O’Farrell to set aside prejudice and to add his support for the centre becoming permanent.”

Robertson said similar centres could alleviate problems associated with injecting drug use at other drug hot spots around the country.

“It’s about time that more such centres were opened in other parts of NSW and Australia,” he said.

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4 responses to “Greens: make injecting centre permanent”

  1. Seriuosly I dread going to the train station every morning and seeing the drug dealers and junkies walking around and police turning a blind eye. They are dealing everywhere and no one does anything. There a fights and the area is filthy. The area needs a real cleanup

  2. If the Green’s Federal candidate is offeringing commentary on state issues, it should only be because his party is

    (i) Pledging funds to meet costs of the centre;
    (ii) Pledging to open up more injecting centres in other suitable areas.

    Otherwise, it really isn’t a Federal issue.

  3. As an ex-resident owner in Canley Vale 1997 (Canley Vale is a 7 minute stroll to the heart of Cabramatta,the once NOTORIOUS Herion capital of Australia until around 1998)I Saw drug addicts to some horrible things from my balcony overlooking the local park,So I Don’t understand how the local residents near the Kings Cross Shooting gallery would want this around their area? Sure they might have a Room to do it,But do you really want the low lifes in your area?
    When the Media got stuck into the then “Bob Carr” State Government about the problem,things changed dramatically for the local residents.
    One,Increased Police Foot Patrols Flushed out the Junkies to the newly opened Shooting Gallery in Kings Cross.
    All of a sudden Drug Addicts “With the Dealers in Hot Pursuit” were off to the Cross,The Police were like the Pied Piper and the Junkies were in a dazed Persuit,Taking with them their Drug Related Crimes i.e stealing,bashing,robbing all associated with their 50k + yearly habbit.
    All of a sudden Cabramatta,Canley Vale and the surrounding areas of the once herion capital turned into something different,Cleaner,Safer and “A EXPLOSION PROPERTY BOOM!!” From the smallest house to the biggest house everyone made money on their property,actually it more then doubled in price.
    So with the Residents in the Kings Cross and surrounding areas paying through the Nose in High Strata Fees Coupled with High Insurance Premiums and Increasing Crime and closing shops,do they really want this?
    Maybe Mr Mathew Robertson should call for the NSW Government to open a Gallery in his Neighbourhood maybe Vaucluse,Rosebay etc Parts of the Wentworth Electorate,As If.
    Thankyou

  4. I know nothing aboiut this Greens candidate.

    Questions:

    What did he study at Uni?

    Whats his occupational background?

    Is he from the Extreme Left Wing faction of the Greens?? or the crazy Green “tree hugging” economy destroying faction??

    The people of Wentworth if they have half a mind would never waste their vote with the REDS…um.. er.. I mean Greens.
    LOL
    Cheers XXX

    Editor’s Note: Patti, you can find our profile piece from January here:
    https://starobserver.com.au/news/2010/01/12/greens-name-wentworth-candidate/20279