Safe injecting rooms would save Victorian lives and help drug users beat their addictions, Greens leader Richard Di Natale says.
Senator Di Natale, who trained as a doctor, attended a rally in Melbourne on Sunday in support of an injecting room in the city's inner-north.
"It's very clear that medically supervised injecting facilities save lives," he told reporters.
"They keep the community safe, and actually get people into treatment.
"They open up treatment pathways."
Senator Di Natale said Premier Daniel Andrews was "lacking the courage" to show leadership on the matter.
Families of people who overdosed on heroin showed their support for an injecting room during the "March to Save Lives" in North Richmond.
The rally, oganised by community group Victoria Street Drug Solutions, came after a spate of heroin overdose deaths in the area.
The Victorian government is holding an inquiry into a pilot program for a medically-supervised injecting room.
The premier said he understood the public felt "very deeply" about the issue and respected their right to march.
"We eagerly await the report of the parliamentary inquiry in relation to these matters and we'll have a close look at that once it's tabled," Mr Andrews said.
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