CHURCH NOT PUT OFF BY INJECTING CENTRE DELAY

The operator of Australia's first legal heroin injecting room has described
a court challenge to the centre as nothing more than a mere interruption in
the establishment of the 18-month trial.

Sydney's Kings Cross Chamber of Commerce today halted final approval of the
injecting room pending a Supreme Court hearing at the end of March.

The NSW Government today agreed to postpone final inspection of the
medically supervised injecting centre in Kings Cross until the outcome of
the local Chamber of Commerce's legal action against the issuing of the
licence to the Uniting Church five months ago.

The chamber is strongly opposed to the site of the 18-month trial in King's
Cross' main thoroughfare.

The Uniting Church's Reverend Harry Herbert says he had hoped the centre
would open within a month, but all the parties involved in the trial
remained fully committed to its establishment once the court case is heard
in March.

"So we have no reason to believe at this point that the centre will not
open even though there has been this short delay," he said.

"We are disappointed to have this short delay but it is not the end of the
world to have a short delay."