February 15 - 21, 2023
By SIMONE KERWIN
JUDY Ryan drew on the example of her mum, Mary, and the values learnt while growing up in Wangaratta, when she took on one of the great challenges of her life: campaigning for a safe injecting facility near her current home in inner-city Melbourne. In fact, Judy has dedicated her new book - ‘You Talk, We Die’, in which she outlines the path to establishment of Victoria’s first SIF in Richmond - to Mary, for the inspiration she provided to her family and her practical contribution to her country community. “I’m one of eight kids,” Judy said. “Dad (Maurice) died at home in Murdoch Road at the age of 43, when the oldest was 18, I was five, and my youngest sister was three. “Mum was amazing, she was very involved in the community; women in that era just got on and did stuff, and some of the best work by women often gets pushed under the rug.” As well as keeping her children housed, fed, clothed, and educated, Mary was closely involved in the beginning of the WAW Credit Union, and displayed her “practical compassion” to help address social justice issues: providing board to regional students wishing to complete secondary schooling or apprenticeships in Wangaratta, and supporting unmarried mothers, orphans, the bereaved, women and children experiencing family violence, and others who had “fallen on hard times”. It was with this example in mind, and with the belief that someone needed to “do something” about the overdoses - many resulting in death which Richmond residents witnessed all too often near their homes, that Judy set about gaining community support for a safe injecting facility. With time available during COVID-19 lockdowns, Judy drew on her background in communications and the wealth of records she’d gathered over the years, to tell the story of the journey to establishment of an SIF. She initially thought she would self-publish the book, but was delighted when Scribe Publications showed interest and agreed to publish it.
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‘Country values’ in action
◆ TAKING ACTION: Former Wangaratta resident Judy Ryan, who was integral to the campaign for Melbourne’s first safe injecting facility, at an art exhibition of work produced by those who had utilised the facility.
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