TRIAL WILL NOT SOLVE PROBLEMS: RESIDENT

Ken McLean is one of the many thousands of city workers who pack the
light-rail tram to and from St Kilda every day. One evening about 6pm,
after getting off the tram at busy Fitzroy street and walking up to his
Grey Street home, a syringe was thrown at his face and pierced his skin.

"It was just fate, I was just incredibly unlucky," he said.

This was the second time the 16-year St Kilda resident and airline company
manager had received a needle-stick injury.

The first time it was closer to home. He was getting rid of needles outside
the front of his house when he mishandled a syringe and stabbed his hand.

"You just have to wait and hope and think positively," he said of the time
he spent under a cloud of uncertainty until he was given the all clear.

It is this kind of experience that turns a resident into a community
activist. Mr McLean was involved in objecting to a needle exchange in St
Kilda and said an injecting centre trial would not eliminate the problems
of public nuisance.

Although Mr McLean is the only St Kilda representative of the recently
formed coalition of residents from four municipalities facing injecting
room trials, Drug Action 2000, he says public opposition in Port Phillip is
strong. "It is absolute rubbish to say the people of St Kilda are in favor
of an injecting facility," he said.

"The mayor is living in cuckoo land if he thinks that is the case."

In contrast to the the turnout at last month's public meeting in
Springvale, where 900 residents attended, the last time Port Phillip held a
forum only 30 people turned up.

Port Phillip Mayor Julian Hill, whose council indicated in-principle
support last year, said it had ceased to be an issue in his municipality.

Mr McLean said the council would face huge opposition if the highly
residential suburb became home to a proposed trial.