AUST'S FIRST LEGAL HEROIN INJECTING ROOM OPENS

Police have confirmed Australia's first legal heroin injecting room opened
its doors for business last night.

The Uniting Church has set up the medically supervised centre in Sydney's
King's Cross with the aim of reducing the number of deaths brought about by
heroin overdoses.

Church authorities had earlier indicated they did not want the injecting
room to open with any fanfare and King's Cross police say it operated for
the first time for about four hours last night.

Officers in King's Cross say they have not received any reports of drug
overdoses in the past 24 hours and no-one has been charged with any drug
offences in the King's Cross area.

New South Wales Opposition leader Kerry Chikarovski says she remains
opposed to the injecting room.

"I think it's a sad day for Sydney that the injecting room has opened," she
said.

"I've said all along that personally I believe the money that's been
involved in that project would be better spent on rehabilitation, getting
people off drugs rather than helping them continue with their addiction."