Australia: Richmond safe injecting room made permanent after late-night vote

Victoria’s first safe injecting room will become permanent in North Richmond after a protracted debate in the state’s upper house ended in a late-night vote on Thursday.

The facility is credited with saving an estimated 63 lives and safely managing more than 6300 overdoses since it opened as a trial almost five years ago, but its location next to a primary school has been a sore point for some residents and the state opposition.

Labor’s bill to make the injecting room permanent passed unamended about 10pm on Thursday with support from the Greens, Legalise Cannabis, Animal Justice and the Liberal Democrats.

An independent report by John Ryan recommended the Lennox Street facility become permanent and found it had achieved its foremost objective of saving lives, but that it had not overcome broader amenity challenges from the pre-existing drug market.