AIVL supports Harm Reduction Victoria and other community advocates in calling on the Victorian Government to centralise the involvement of people who use drugs and to continue planning a second injecting room in Melbourne’s central business district in its “State-Wide Action Plan to Save Lives and Reduce Drug Harm” announced on 23 April 2024. 

The Victorian state government announced several initiatives aimed at preventing and responding to drug related overdose. However, as Sione Crawford, CEO of Harm Reduction Victoria, stated: “they would be more effective alongside an injecting room”. AIVL understands and shares the frustration expressed by Harm Reduction Victoria, our community, and supporters who advocate for people who use drugs, regarding the rejection of another supervised injecting facility in Melbourne. Stigma and discrimination should never be a reason to abandon a needed, life-saving service. 

AIVL will continue to support our community’s advocacy for a second supervised injecting facility and the meaningful involvement of people who use drugs in the planned initiatives including expanded pharmacotherapy, a “Never alone” phone line monitoring system for people who use drugs alone, a hydromorphone trial, naloxone provision through vending machines, and significant funding for case management and support programs. We are the people affected by overdose, stigma and lack of access to harm reduction, healthcare, and other support services. Without our genuine involvement in developing, managing, and working within these services, they will be inefficient at best. They won’t meet the needs of our community, and they won’t be as successful at preventing overdose deaths and injuries. 

We look forward to hearing of the new and innovative ways people who use drugs will influence positive outcomes from the Victorian Governments’ “State-Wide Action Plan to Save Lives and Reduce Drug Harm”.