Melbourne’s injecting room delay puts lives at risk as heroin overdoses spike in CBD

Stalled progress on the city's second safe-injecting facility is heaping pressure on community health professionals

• Follow our Australia news live blog for the latest updates
• Get our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcast

The return to regular trading in Melbourne's CBD has coincided with a spike in heroin-related overdoses, with drug experts warning that stalling the city's second safe-injecting room is putting lives at risk.

Former police commissioner Ken Lay is still finalising a report, which was meant to be handed down in 2020, that will recommend the best site for the second safe-injecting room - believed to be the former Yooralla building on Flinders Street.

Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup