VICTORIA'S SAFE INJECTING ROOMS TRIAL IN DOUBT

Plans to trial five supervised heroin injecting rooms in Melbourne face
defeat in Victoria's parliament as support from MPs crumbles.

Premier Steve Bracks today made a pitch to a divided Liberal Party to back
the 18-month trials as doubts by two independent MPs hardened into outright
opposition.

Mildura MP Russell Savage vowed to vote against the enabling legislation
while Gippsland East MP Craig Ingram said his 'gut feeling' was that he
would also seek to block it.

Without Liberal support, or a win for Labor at next month's Benalla
by-election, plans to allow heroin addicts to inject in the supervised
facilities around Melbourne face defeat in the state's lower house.

Mr Bracks said he hoped the Liberals would properly consider the
government's legislation - something both Liberal leader Denis Napthine and
National Party leader Peter Ryan have promised to do.

'Now if one or two of the independents aren't supporting it, I understand
that; we will seek support from the Liberal Party ... given their
commitment to have a proper consultation,' he told reporters.

'I believe they will find what we found through the Penington (Penington)
inquiry and that is that communities want answers ... they're sick and
tired of what's happening now not working.'

Even if the government wins backing for the bill in the Legislative
Assembly, the conservative-dominated upper house now seems sure to vote it
down.

Most National MPs are implacably opposed to the trials with party sources
saying there is no prospect of the government's bill passing the
Legislative Council.

Mr Ryan restated his 'grave concerns' about the facilities today, saying
the cost of running them should instead be funnelled into improved health,
education and enforcement.

The enabling legislation is to be introduced during the current session of
parliament but will be allowed to lie over until the spring session to
allow for public discussion.

The government has rejected going ahead with the trials without
legislation, which was recommended by the state drugs review headed by Dr
David Penington.

Mr Bracks said he accepted the facilities required strict legislative
protocols for police.

Mr Savage said he could not support legislation which effectively legalised
heroin use.

'I think it is a distinct possibility that it could increase heroin use. It
really does send out the wrong message,' he said.

Mr Savage said he did not advocate a zero-tolerance approach but a
concerted effort to stamp out street dealing and improve rehabilitation and
detox services so that addicts could receive immediate treatment.

'I have told the government I will support every measure they can put up
which will tackle the heroin problem but I cannot support anything which
promotes heroin use,' he said.

Mr Ingram agreed too little effort had been put into rehabilitation and
detox, which should be improved before other methods were considered.

While he was opposed to the facilities, he would wait until he saw the
legislation before finalising his position.

'But my current gut feeling is that I am not happy with the facilities,' he
said.

Opposition to the trials appears to be most trenchant within the National
Party but the Liberals are also divided on the issue.

One MP said those with grave concerns about the proposals had the numbers
over those who believed all else had failed.

'Internally, I think the mood is how can we back something which
effectively condones an act which is illegal,' he said.

But another said the majority had a genuine commitment to consult about the
proposals before developing the party's stand.

The government still has the support of Victoria's third independent MP,
Susan Davies, who promised not to stand in the way of the trials if they
were conducted with the support of local communities.

Ms Davies said she had been given an assurance the first priority would be
more rehabilitation and detoxification services.