GOING THROUGH THE MOTIONS

According to senior Liberals, the end came quickly.

A few questions. No debate. A unanimous show of hands.

The result? The defeat by the Liberal partyroom of Labor's injecting
rooms proposal.

As late as Monday, the Liberals left the impression that their
decision was some time off, that the government's move to delay a
parliamentary vote until October could prove influential.

But this was an illusion. Liberal leader Denis Napthine had instructed
his senior frontbenchers three weeks ago to start work on an
alternative drugs strategy.

Napthine insisted yesterday he made his decision to reject the Labor
plan seven to 10 days ago. But is it just a coincidence that the
arguments and rhetoric he adopted yesterday happen to be eerily
similar to the position he articulated on day one of this debate?

To be fair, it is true the Liberals did consult sections of the
community. Indeed, Napthine and his health spokesman, Robert Doyle,
sniffed the wind, estimating that 80 to 90 per cent of the public was
unprepared to accept injecting facilities.

Napthine further knew that the majority of his partyroom was against
the proposal, a key factor given the doubts over his long-term hold on
the Liberal leadership.

Ultimately, he decided a policy promising extra police, tougher
penalties, more rehabilitation and detoxification beds, and enhanced
treatment for drug overdose victims was politically safer than Labor's
plan.

Napthine's political judgment may be correct. Either way, it appears
that yesterday's decision was inevitable.