NSW Injecting Room Cost Blows Out

The Carr Government has revealed a massive blow out in the cost of
the injecting room trial in Sydney's Kings Cross with taxpayers now
facing a $4.3 million bill.

The project was supposed to have cost $1.8 million.

Despite the blown budget, the Government argues early results from
the trial are positive.

The $2.5 million over run for the nation's first legal injecting room
was revealed last night at a budget estimates committee hearing at
the New South Wales Parliament.

The Minister responsible for the project, John Della Bosca, put it
down to repeated delays in getting the project off the ground due to
problems with finding an operator, as well as the legal challenge
mounted by opponents.

He argues the original figure was merely an estimate.

He could not say how much of the blow out was made up of legal costs
in defending the challenge and despite the over run, he says the
first month of the trial has proved a success.

"Four people who had overdosed inside the facility were treated and
their lives potentially saved without the use of any medication other
than oxygen and so far more than 40 people have been referred to
treatment," he said.