The City of Yarra council in Melbourne is seeking reimbursement from the Victorian government for approximately $4 million spent cleaning up discarded syringes around the North Richmond Medically Supervised Injection Room (MSIR) since its opening in 2018.
The council says it incurs about $500,000 per year on this ongoing cleanup and has repeatedly requested that the state government cover these costs, arguing that it is unfair for local ratepayers to fund the maintenance of a state-run facility.
“Obviously, when you’ve got the only supervised injecting facility in Melbourne in Richmond, there’s gonna be heaps of needles,” City of Yarra Mayor Stephen Jolly told 9News. He compared it to paying for cleaning public hospitals in the council area and described the situation as “crazy.”
The council wants Victoria to follow the example of New South Wales, which funds syringe management around the Uniting Medically Supervised Injecting Centre in Kings Cross.
The Victorian government responded that litter removal from public places is the council’s responsibility but noted it is exploring measures to reduce unsafe disposal. Investments have been made in safety around the MSIR, including additional cameras, improved police coordination, and expanded outreach services that monitor syringe litter.
Residents like Karen Hovenga, who has lived in Richmond for over 35 years, acknowledge the cleanup as necessary but view the MSIR as a positive service. She said the number of syringes in the area has decreased since the facility opened, reducing hazards and stress for local residents.
The North Richmond MSIR has managed more than 11,000 overdoses and saved at least 63 lives. However, the City of Yarra has recently questioned its location near a primary school and public housing, arguing the government misled the council about plans for additional facilities across the state. Plans for a second safe injecting facility in Melbourne’s CBD were abandoned last year after the government could not find a suitable site.
