Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed says trialling a safe injecting room in North Richmond is a sensible step in dealing with the increasing number of drug overdoses in the area.

There were 34 heroin-related deaths in North Richmond last year and 35 already this year.

In February, a Victorian coroner recommended the introduction of a supervised injecting centre, a call backed by many first responders, including paramedics.

Ms Sheed visited the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Sydney’s King’s Cross earlier this month to see how it functions and to hear about its impact on the local community.

“It perhaps seems counter intuitive to provide drug users with a place to inject when the goal is to help them stop using altogether, but you can’t help people into rehabilitation if they are dying on the streets,” Ms Sheed said.

“Safe injecting rooms provide a point of intervention for drug users, giving them an opportunity to engage with support services and to stop the cycle of addition.  

Premier Daniel Andrews announced the safe injecting trial, which would run for two years with an option to extend for another three years, yesterday.

“This is a trial and I would expect it to be monitored very closely to ensure any decision to extend the program further is made on solid evidence of harm minimisation and improvements to community amenity,” Ms Sheed said.

“There is clearly significant harm being done to drug users, their families and the local Richmond community and I will be interested to see if this trial has the outcomes we hope for.” 

ENDS

Media contact

Riahn Smith 0419 138 978│riahn.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au

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Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed says a Southern Basin Water Summit will be convened on 10 November 2017 to lobby governments to take immediate action to mitigate the damage currently occurring to irrigation communities as a result of the determined rollout of the Murray Darling Basin Plan without regard to the negative socio-economic impacts on local  communities.

“There is now ample evidence from reputable reports commissioned over the last 18 months which show the serious impacts on our farming towns and communities throughout the southern basin.

The summit, to be hosted by the Goulburn Murray Irrigation District Water Leadership Forum which Ms Sheed co-chairs as well as the Committee for Greater Shepparton, will be held on November 10 at Tatura.

Water Ministers from Basin states are due to meet at the end of November to sign off on 605GL of environmental offset projects and to finalise a process for recovering an additional 450GL from the consumptive pool.

Ms Sheed said it could be disastrous for communities if these decisions are made without all the information on the table.

She said it was vital that affected communities join together to voice their concerns before it was too late.

“Our communities are hurting and no one is listening,” Ms Sheed said.

“There are five inquiries underway into the Murray Darling Basin Plan and faith in the system is at an all-time low, yet our governments are forging ahead without any regard for the welfare of the regions,” Ms Sheed said.

“They are pursuing an entirely inadequate, piece-meal approach to the situation while at the same time preparing to make crucial decisions on environmental offset projects and how to recover even more water despite the evidence of significant negative socio-economic impacts across our irrigation communities.

“Once they make those decisions, the final stages of the Plan will be locked into a trajectory that will further devastate our communities and we cannot let that happen.”

The Southern Basin Water Summit will look at several key issues including:

–          an overview of the environmental gains;

–          a review of the completed socio-economic studies and their relationship to the recovery of the additional 450GL;

–          the failure of the Murray Darling Basin Authority to effectively monitor the Plan and ensure compliance;

–          questions around the latest cap compliance report and the actual amount of water in the system;

–          unresolved issues regarding constraints projects; and

–          opportunities for moving forward.

 

ENDS

 

Media contact

Michelle Patterson

E: michelle.patterson@parliament.vic.gov.au   │ P: 03 5831 6944

 

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Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed has welcomed the Government’s inclusion of energy efficient features in the new Shepparton Law Courts.

Last month in Parliament Ms Sheed asked Attorney General Martin Pakula to advise what energy-saving and energy-producing components had been incorporated into the design of the new courthouse, which is due to be completed later this year.

In his reply this week, Mr Pakula said the new building will include several sustainable design initiatives including a rainwater harvesting system and a high performance façade to reduce the need for heating and cooling.

“It is very pleasing to see energy efficient measures have been considered and incorporated into the new Shepparton Law Courts,” Ms Sheed said.

“The building has piqued the interest of many of my constituents and my office has received several queries about its construction.

“It is clear that a significant proportion of our community feels strongly about energy conservation, particularly in light of increasing energy costs, and I am pleased to have been able to get some answers about our soon-to-be-finished courthouse.”

Mr Pakula said the development had been designed to reduce energy consumption, reduce carbon emissions, reduce potable water usage and improve indoor environment quality.

“CSV (Court Services Victoria) advises that these initiatives including high performance façade, windows and energy efficient building services, including LED lighting, designed to significantly reduce the need for heating and cooling, and carbon emissions,” Mr Pakula said.

“The building design also includes a rainwater harvesting system, with a 25,000 litre tank for toilet flushing and irrigation, and uses water efficient fixtures and fittings.

“CSV advises that the design does not incorporate solar energy generation systems. Solar energy generation was considered by CSV during the design of the building, however it was not considered economic in the context of the building’s overall design and anticipated running costs.”

ENDS

Media contact

Riahn Smith 0419 138 978│riahn.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au

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Independent Member for Shepparton District Suzanna Sheed says a cancer centre for Shepparton District should be included in the second stage of redevelopment at Goulburn Valley Health.

Ms Sheed said there was an undeniable need for easier access to cancer treatment options in the region.

“The Goulburn Valley community has been in need of a dedicated cancer centre for some time and I will be keeping this front of mind for the Government going forward,” Ms Sheed said.

“Research shows people living in regional areas such as Shepparton have a higher incidence of cancer than those in cities. They also face more challenges relating to access, such as longer travel times to health services and fewer specialised health practitioners in the area.

“It is unacceptable that in 2017 patients in Shepparton District are being forced to travel long distances to Bendigo or Albury to seek treatment.

“Our demographic clearly supports the establishment of a cancer centre in Shepparton and it would make sense to include such a facility in the second stage of redevelopment at Goulburn Valley Health.”

This week Ms Sheed visited the Kinghorn Cancer Centre at Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital with Goulburn Valley Health’s infrastructure director, Sandy Chamberlin.

“The Kinghorn Cancer Centre provides a holistic, compassionate approach to cancer care throughout the entire cancer journey,” Ms Sheed said.

“Although it undoubtedly benefits from being closely linked to the associated Garvan Research Centre, its models of care and design will give us much to think about as we work towards our own cancer centre, which will hopefully find a home at Goulburn Valley Health.” 

ENDS

Media contact

Riahn Smith 0419 138 978│riahn.smith@parliament.vic.gov.au

 

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