WE'LL WAIT AND SEE, SAYS KINGS CROSS COMMUNITY

The NSW Government's plans to strengthen police powers against drug
dealing drew a mixed response yesterday from the community of another
Sydney drugs hot spot, Kings Cross.

Some thought increasing police powers was a regressive move, while
others doubted the changes would have any impact.

While the Premier, Mr Carr, has said his proposals, which include
giving police the power to arrest people who enter or leave "suspected
drug houses", are directed at cleaning up Cabramatta, the changes will
apply across NSW. Kings Cross, the site of the State's first safe
injecting room, is one area that will be affected.

The chief executive of the Ted Noffs Foundation, Mr Wesley Noffs,
yesterday questioned how the changes would work in Kings Cross.

Describing them as "regressive" and at odds with his other drug
initiatives, Mr Noffs said the Premier's plan could infringe on human
rights, and make the law more complicated.

"I'd really ask [the Premier] to reconsider this move," he said. "I
don't know how they're going to police in Kings Cross where we're
looking at having a safe injecting room."

Professor David Dixon, from the law faculty of the University of NSW,
said the increase in powers would send conflicting messages to police.

"Policing [the safe injecting room] you are going to require a great
deal of discretion and careful management," he said.

"The Cabramatta initiatives are sending quite a different message:
that illegal drug use should be met by direct use of the law to its
full extent."

Others doubted the practical impact any increase in powers would have
on policing drugs in Kings Cross.

The pastor of Wayside Chapel, the Rev Ray Richmond, said he had not
studied the proposals in enough detail, but said there was no global
evidence that drug prohibition measures worked.

"I'm pleased about the action but I have doubts about its long-term
effects. I'm very worried about police not having clear law and
guidelines to work with. I want and they want a much clearer way of
operating, and this might give them some relief in terms of getting
success on the board with very difficult-to-nail [dealers]."

Mr Malcolm Duncan, a spokesman for the Kings Cross Chamber of
Commerce, which opposes the location of the safe injecting room, said
he did not think the changes would have any effect on the area's drug
problems because police were not using the powers they already had.

"It's so absolutely farcical. Giving police more powers is
unnecessary. Police have all the powers they need right now. The
problem is they won't use them."