Needle dispensary in public interest?

The machine was approved as part of the Health Centre opening in 2007 and in conjunction with the NSW Needle and Syringe Program. Spokesperson Isabella Shaw from Sydney Local Health District (SLHD) said: “The NSW Needle and Syringe Program (NSP) is an important public health program which aims to reduce the spread of blood borne viruses among people who inject drugs, their families and the community as a whole.”

Professor Paul Haber, Medical Director, Drug Health Services, also from SLHD said: “During working hours, the machine is closed and not operational and those who want a sterile needle are directed to the health centre around the back of the building. After hours, there’s been a problem that when staff go home, people who need the needles can’t get them, so that’s when the machine is turned on.” The machine will dispense syringes for free and Professor Haber said the decision is in the public interest. “The main rationale is a safety consideration, the money you would get is modest and the machine can be a target for robbery,” he said. Professor Haber said that, based on two recent community consultations, a clear majority of people support the machine being installed.

Michael Shreenan of The Factory Community Centre in Waterloo supports the ADM: “The fact is, drug use is high and safe needle exchange doesn’t increase the number of people injecting. I would support anything to do with harm minimisation and providing clean needles to people who need them.” Mr Shreenan would like to see more discussion within the community to educate people about the benefits of the machine: “Needle exchange will always be controversial and a lot of those views come from a lack of understanding and education on the matter.”

Mary Lynne Pidcock, President of South Sydney Business Chamber, said she supports harm minimisation but would also like to see more consultation within the local community. “We do understand that it has been approved but the issue is that the business community was very different at that time.” “The concern I have is that there hasn’t been consultation with the current business community, which is very different from when it was approved in 2007,” she said. Others aren’t as welcoming of the idea and think it will have a negative impact on the community, and in particular on families in the area.

Mark Spinks, Aboriginal Employment/ Mentor Coordinator for Babana, is concerned about disposal of used syringes and the effect the ADM will have on local families. “I’m against it, I think it’s a low idea. Those needles will end up on Redfern Oval and in the grandstands. We’ve got families who use the park and the oval now, and that will stop,” he said. Mr Spinks said he would support a specific place where people can be supervised to use syringes. “Why don’t they give them somewhere to go, somewhere controlled and out of sight, not in public? What will happen is they’ll take them out of the machine and go up to the oval. If you think they’re going to take the package then drive home and use it, trust me, that won’t happen,” he said.

CEO of Wyanga Elders Group, Millie Ingram, is concerned the machine will attract people to Redfern solely for drug use and undo the recent work done to improve the area. “We can’t get tradespeople or taxis to get to Redfern. No one wants to come here because of this image. We Aboriginal people have fought for a long time to improve the image of Redfern and now they want to take it back to where it was, I think it’s disgusting,” she said. There is no set date for the installation of the machine but Ms Shaw said it would be installed following further discussion with the local community.

According to Professor Haber a third meeting of stakeholders has been scheduled which “will be more detailed about the machine, what we want to achieve and the evidence that we can give to the community”.

When asked how the greater community would be made aware of what’s happening, he said: “We are presently not scheduling a meeting for the whole community. People can approach their council, the Business Chamber and the other people participating in the meeting. People who wish to gather information can do so by approaching the Community Health Centre directly.”

The SSH will monitor developments.