In Question Time in Parliament today, Deputy Premier James Merlino refused to abandon Labor’s plans to build Victoria’s second drug injecting room near the Queen Victoria Market.
The City of Melbourne, including the recently re-elected Lord Mayor, as well as local traders and local residents have opposed the proposed location of a drug injecting room.
Despite also being directly asked to release details of other locations Labor is considering for new drug injecting rooms, Minister Merlino failed to come clean.
Labor’s planned injecting room poses a very real threat to the Queen Victoria Market, one of Victoria’s tourist icons, but it appears Daniel Andrews couldn’t care less.
Comments attributable to Shadow Minister for Small Business, Michael O’Brien:
“Market stall holders have said that if the Andrews Labor Government puts in the second drug injecting room next to the iconic Queen Victoria Market, families and tourists will avoid the area.
“The Queen Victoria Market is a tourist icon. Given the increased crime and anti-social behaviour that North Richmond residents have experienced from that injecting facility, it would be madness to repeat this at our beloved Queen Vic Market.
“Small businesses have done it too tough in Victoria, and under the Andrews Labor Government’s plan for a second drug injecting room, more pain will be inflicted on these suffering people.”
Comments attributable to acting Shadow Minister for Mental Health, Georgie Crozier:
“Labor must listen to the pleas from local residents and traders and abandon its planned injecting room near the Queen Victoria Market.
“Daniel Andrews must listen to the local community who have spoken out loud and clear – they vehemently oppose the state’s second drug injecting room.”
