Respected Australian author Judy Ryan will share her personal story behind the battle for Victoria’s first safe injecting facility as part of an upcoming visit to Mildura Library.
Judy will bring her You Talk, You Die regional tour to the Mildura Library on Friday 17 November from 1pm, where she will discuss her work in mobilising the community to recognise drug use in Richmond as a health issue rather than a criminal one.
She will discuss the organisation of inner-city residents to successfully campaign for major change in their community, and the need for governments across Australia to treat illicit drug addiction as a health issue and to legislate accordingly.
Judy will be joined by Sunraysia Community Health Services Dual Diagnosis Nurse Kylie Cawley as part of the free event.
Councillor for Arts, Culture and Heritage Helen Healy encouraged the community to attend the discussion.
“We are truly honoured to host Judy’s You Talk, We Die regional tour at the Mildura Library,” she said.
“Judy’s, and the Richmond community’s, battle was well publicised, and set the scene for change.
“Judy’s work to bring together medical experts, politicians, journalists and the community in a common cause was nothing short of amazing, and this discussion is one that I’m sure will interest quite a few people.”
After raising her family in regional Victoria, Judy relocated to inner-city Melbourne in 2012.
She became immersed in Melbourne’s heroin crisis, and in 2016 launched what ultimately became a successful residents’ campaign for a supervised injecting facility in Richmond.
Judy was awarded an Order of Australia (OAM) in the general division in the 2022 Queen’s Birthday honours list for “service to community health in a range of programs”.
Judy’s panel member for the event, Kylie Cawley, is a proud Palawa Kani woman, born in Lutruwita (Tasmania), while spending most of her life on Latje Latje country.
After completing her Bachelor of Nursing in 2017, she embarked on her journey in the Drug and Alcohol/Mental Health field and currently serves as a Dual Diagnosis Nurse at Sunraysia Community Health Services.
No registration is required to attend the November 17 discussion. Those interested are simply encouraged to turn up on the day.
