James25

Flemington when talked about by realtors will talk about the beautiful quiet treed streets with the quaint houses (which is true). What they will miss is the lack of good social, cultural integration in the area, and complete lack of proper policing. Flemington is a suburb left to languish in effect, and when walking down racecourse road at night or day, the presence of people sniffing glue, on drugs, drunk (or getting there), is quite obvious. The large public housing community at 120 racecourse road is a large source of this problem, not completely due to the people in it, but more due to the lack of community services or integrative facilities. The local council and police force has really made a mistake in how they have handled the situation in this community. The large somali community in the area is also not been handled effectively, and needs to be dealt in a manner that will give immigrants a sense of purpose and pride in the local area and country they move to; not to be shoved into public housing given welfare payments and left to fend for themselves, leading to some of this gang culture in flemington. Not a safe place for lone women.

Strict examples of the drug problem would be, glue sniffing seen at the townhouses behind newmarket supermarket, also right along racecourse road. Drunk and offensive behaviour on the 57 tram, people even drinking out of wine casks on the tram. Paint sniffing on racecourse road. Homeless people drinking next to the public toilet all day in the main centre of racecourse road. No noticeable police presence.