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16 MAY, 2023
Activities for everyone Craft and family-friendly activities are among the events being held in Brimbank to celebrate Reconciliation Week. Brimbank council is running a number of events from May 27 to June 3, with something for everyone of all ages. The events start with a Cary Street tree planting ceremony, in a day that will also include family-friendly activities with a free barbecue and drinks. There will be craft sessions to learn about ancient musical instruments used by Australian First Nations people at Brimbank libraries, while children can also listen to First Nations stories and create their own Dreamtime night light . Children can also participate in a collaborative library art display, while there will be a range of First Nations craft activities to celebrate Reconciliation Week at the Brimbank Aquatic and Wellness Centre and Sunshine Leisure Centre, between 10 and noon. The week will finish with a performance of The Sunshine Club. A performance set in 1946, the joyful and acclaimed musical, The Sunshine Club, tells the story of Aboriginal soldier Frank Doyle, who has a strong desire to change things for the better by setting up The Sunshine Club. Aleen, 4 and Charbel, 4, try their hand at some craft activities. (Damjan Janevski) 333905_05
Brimbank’s heroin crisis By Jennifer Pittorino and Laura Michell Brimbank recorded the state’s second-highest number of heroin overdoses between July 2020 and June 2022, new data reveals. The Coroners Court of Victoria data, released to the Victorian Drug and Alcohol Association, reveals there were 28 heroin overdose deaths in the Brimbank between July 2020 and June 2022. The municipality recorded more heroin overdose deaths than the City of Yarra, which
is home to the Richmond supervised injecting room. There were 23 deaths recorded in Yarra, according to the Coroners Court data. The City of Melbourne topped the list, recording 29 heroin overdose deaths between July 2020 and June 2022. Heroin overdose deaths in Brimbank rose in 2022, after the city recorded a decline in overdoses during the COVID-19 pandemic, the data shows. Between April and June 2021, there was one heroin overdose death in Brimbank, rising to
eight between April and June 2022. cohealth said the data showed that the pandemic did impact drug trends, but overdose rates are “now worse than pre-COVID”. The not-for-profit has programs across the west of Melbourne at which people using drugs can access a wide range of services including the supply of clean injecting equipment, health care and counselling and recovery pathways. Visitors can also access family drug support, free Nalaxone (overdose reversal drug) and training in how to use it and help from a non-residential withdrawal nurse.
cohealth acohol and drug cluster leader Dean Rogut said said COVID lead to increased usage, lower tolerances leading to susceptibility of overdosing, and Brimbank is a disadvantaged area which needs support. “We know that social disadvantage can be related to problematic substance use, which means that geographic areas with greater disadvantage may see more drug harms,” he said. “Rather than treating people like criminals, we need to act with compassion and care and work towards reducing stigma and discrimination.”
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