Premier Daniel Andrews has rejected the State Coroner's push for a safe injecting room to help reduce deadly drug overdoses, adding fuel to the political battle between Labor and the Greens in a key inner-city seat.
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Despite recommendations from Coroner Jacqui Hawkins that a safe injecting room for heroin users be trialled, Mr Andrews on Tuesday said his Labor government had no plans to set such a facility up.
"I have been very, very clear prior to the election and since. We have no plans to introduce a facility like that," Mr Andrews said.
Thirty-four people died in 2016 in an area centred around Victoria Street in Richmond.
The Premier's dismissal of the Coroner's position has given the Greens ammunition in its fight to win Richmond from Planning Minister Richard Wynne.
Richmond was once a Labor stronghold, but demographic change over the past 15 years has seen Labor's margin whittle away to just 1.9 per cent in the electorate that also includes Fitzroy, Collingwood and Clifton Hill.
The refusal to adopt the Coroner's recommendations flies in the face of a groundswell of support from residents, health groups and emergency services workers for a supervised injecting room.
Mr Andrews said there were other ways to help addicts and the report's recommendations would be carefully considered.
"This notion that there is only one answer to this, I just don't think that is right," he said.
Some Labor MPs, including senior members of government, privately support a trial of a safe injecting room.
Greens MP Colleen Hartland said the issue could finally end Labor's stranglehold on the seat.
"To ignore the Coroner is beyond the pale. It is a measured report. It's a trial. Richmond would be the logical first place as it's a hot spot," Ms Hartland said.
A private member's bill introduced by Sex Party MP Fiona Patten for a safe injecting room trial is scheduled to be debated on Wednesday.
Ms Patten also warned that Labor's policy could cost Mr Wynne his seat.
"What politicians think they have greater knowledge on this issue than the Coroner, the AMA [Australian Medical Association], the Pharmacy Guild, paramedics and the rest of the experts and the first responders that are calling for an urgent trial," Ms Patten said.
"If this was 34 people dying from asthma the government and the opposition would be jumping to respond."
In Sydney a supervised injecting room has operated for about 15 years in Kings Cross. It averages about 150 visits every day and has "managed" 6500 overdoses, according to evidence submitted to the coroner.
The opposition does not support safe injecting rooms.
With Benjamin Preiss
