LIBERALS ACCUSED OF DELAYING VOTE ON SAFE INJECTING ROOMS

Parliament may not get to vote on the Victorian Government's
controversial supervised injecting facilities legislation until October.

Although parliament resumes on August 15, David Penington, the
chairman of the government's drug expert policy committee, told The
Age it was unlikely a vote on the legislation would be held before
early October.

Dr Penington made the comment as he accused opposition health
spokesman Robert Doyle of playing politics with the issue of injecting
rooms.

The drugs policy expert said Mr Doyle was calling for council
plebiscites on the issue before the opposition had even made up its
mind.

"I think he is trying to cause political problems for the government,"
Dr Penington said.

He said it was interesting that the opposition was calling for local
plebiscites when the Kennett government did not encourage such
processes for town planning issues such as syringe and needle exchanges.

"I think it is just confusing the issue," he said. "It is dealing with
it on the basis of feeling rather than evidence. I think talk about
processes is irrelevant."

Dr Penington said he was still awaiting an invitation from the
opposition to address Liberal and National Party MPs on the merits of
injecting facilities.

He said he had received a commitment from both Mr Doyle and Opposition
Leader Denis Napthine that he would have such an opportunity, and "I
would sooner have that meeting and discuss the issue before they make
these statements".

The opposition has also failed to respond to an offer from Health
Minister John Thwaites, made last month, for a meeting with Mr Doyle
to organise a consultation process for the opposition.

Mr Doyle said he was in the process of organising a forum for
opposition MPs to be addressed by Dr Penington, MP Dr John Ross and
possibly Salvation Army major Brian Watters, who is advising Prime
Minister John Howard on drug issues.

Mr Doyle said he wanted it to be a "pure information session, it is
not to have an argument". "What I want from my party room is a
considered, civil and informed discussion that does really help answer
questions."

Dr Penington said there had so far been little evidence of such an
approach to the issue.

He said there had been little acknowledgement that a large number of
community and professional groups supported the trial of injecting
facilities including the Australian Medical Association, the Law
Council of Victoria, the Victorian Bar Council, the Victorian
Employers Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the Victorian Traders
Association, the Institution of Engineers Australia and the Ambulance
Employees Association.

A government spokesman said legislation for the proposed trial was
introduced in May and debate would resume on the issue in the next
session.