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month and HRVic provides introduced a key change for
you with ongoing train- people who inject drugs - T HE M O R E
ing and support. Many of they can now legally pick up S U P P O R T T H E R E I S
our Peer Networkers have sterile injecting equipment FO R T H E 2
decided to pursue further for their mates as well as for AME NDME N T O F
training (Cert IV in Alcohol themselves from a Tasmanian T H I S P O I NT LE S S
and Drugs) and to pursue NSP (including a pharmacy). A N D C O U N T E R -
a career in the alcohol and You do not need authorisa- P R O D UC T I VE L AW
drug sector. Although the tion or a government permit T HE B E T T E R AND
PNP network is expand- to give equipment to your T H E M O R E L I K E LY
ing fast, the problem is we peers and you’re protected T HE VI C TO R I AN
haven’t the budget to travel against charges of supply, to G OVE R NME N T I S
the length and breadth of the TO R E V I E W C U R -
state and establish as many have committed, aided, abet- R E N T
PNP sites as we need. ted or instigated any crime L E G I SL AT IO N .
or offence under relevant
S O W H Y N O T M A K E I T Acts or the Criminal Code.
E A S I E R ? W E N E E D YO U R
Why not simply change the The Act specifically states: S U P P O R T! REVIEWING THE
law? Injectors in the ACT 56K. Possession, &c., of needle
and Tasmania don’t have this or syringe does not constitute EFFE CTIVENESS OF
problem, so why do we in offence under certain Acts VICT ORIAN
Victoria? It’s common sense. (5) A person who supplies – GO VERNMENT
(a) an unused needle or unused
The Parliamentary Inquiry syringe; or INVESTMENT INT O
gives us the chance to change (b) other equipment associated ILLICIT DR UG
this law. with the use of an unused needle
Write a submission. or an unused syringe; or SUPPLY REDUCTION,
Get us to help you. (c) information – DEMAND REDUCTION
Let’s change the law and that was supplied under a
protect us all against a permit does not, by reason only AND
potential criminal charge. of that supply, commit, aid, HARM REDUCTION
abet or instigate, and is not STRATE GIES AND
Interestingly enough, one of to be taken, by reason only of
the questions we are asked that supply, to have committed, PR OGRAMS;
each time we go to a NSP aided, abetted or instigated, any
is “how many people are crime, or any offence, under the
you collecting for?” So the Misuse of Drugs Act 2001 or the
Health Department knows Poisons Act 1971 or Chapters II
how common the practice or XXXV of the Criminal Code.
of sharing needles/syringes
with our mates is. If you
answer you are picking up
equipment for a number
of people and not just for H RV I C C A LL S O N TH E
yourself, you’re technically V I C TO R I A N G OV E R N M E NT TO:
liable for prosecution under
the Act for aiding and • A M EN D T H E D RU G S ,
abetting the administration P O IS O N S A ND
of a prohibited substance. CO N T R O L L ED S U B S TA N C E S AC T
(To be fair, we are not aware 1981 I N L I N E W I T H T H E
of anyone being prosecuted TA S M A N I A N P U B L I C H E A LT H AC T
under the law. But as long 2 015 TO R ECO G N I S E A N D Peer
as the law stands, HRVic L EG A L LY PR OT EC T
cannot openly encourage PEER D I S T R I B U T I O N
all drug users to distribute O F S T ER I L E I N J EC T I N G EQ U I PM EN T;
injecting equipment to their A ND
mates.) Distribution
In 2015, the Tasmanian • D I S CO N T I N U E T H E T I M E L I M I T ED
Parliament passed the PERM I T AU T HORI S AT I ON S YS T EM .
Public Health (Miscellaneous
Amendments) Act 2015 and

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