NEWS
An LNP candidate has labelled inner-Brisbane Labor politicians hypocrites over their opposition to drug injecting rooms for Fortitude Valley – but they in turn have accused him of being “hopelessly misguided or deliberately misleading” and “shooting himself in the foot” over the issue.
Candidate for the state seat of Brisbane Central Robert Cavallucci contacted The Independent after our recent front-page story (above) in which the current member for the seat Grace Grace, local Central Ward councillor David Hinchliffe and Labor candidate for Central Ward at the next municipal poll Paul Crowther jointly opposed calls for drug injecting rooms in the Valley.
Mr Cavallucci told this paper: “You may want to ask Grace Grace MP and Cr Hinchliffe for comment on why recent approval was given without comment or opposition by them to an needle exchange/injecting room on Brooks St, Bowen Hills. This is located in the middle of a massive ULDA residential area as well as being proximal to the $2.6 billion RNA development. Being a State Government ULDA zone, approvals do not require the typical level of public consultation and BCC scrutiny on planning outcomes and it is clear that the those party to the ALP joint statement opposing the facility have behaved in a most hypocritical way in this regard.
“I have attached the DA in question and you can clearly see its purpose. The point is simple, why overwhelmingly oppose an injecting room in the Valley and not mention or oppose one that will be constructed only a few hundred meters away?
“This is yet another example of tricky politics from Grace Grace and the Labor Party. Whether it’s injection rooms, or asset sales, Grace Grace and Labor will say anything to get elected.”
But Cr Hinchliffe said Mr Cavallucci simply had his facts wrong. The Bowen Hills centre was the new home for QuIHN Ltd, Queensland Injector's Health Network, and it would not have injecting rooms.
“There is no injecting room for unlawful drugs anywhere in Queensland,” Cr Hinchliffe said. “That would be illegal.
“This is scare-mongering at its worst. There is no injecting room. Poor Rob is either hopelessly misguided or deliberately misleading. Neither is a quality you want in an elected representative.
“There are dozens of needle exchanges all over Brisbane and hundreds across Australia. The use of needle exchanges to reduce AIDS infection through shared needles has bi-partisan support.”
Ms Grace supported Cr Hinchliffe’s comments, adding that QuIHN Ltd would move to the Bowen Hills premises by the end of October after being faced with an uncertain tenancy in Fortitude Valley.
Paul Crowther told The Independent: “Robert is wrong and is misleading the public. He should check his ammunition before firing off his shots – otherwise he will shoot himself in the foot and that's exactly what has happened.
“A needle exchange is quite different to an injecting room and I remain opposed to any injecting room in Brisbane. He should check his facts or shut his mouth to avoid making embarrassing mistakes like this one.”
