BRACKS REJECTS USING COUNCIL MONEY TO STOP DRUGS

A proposal by retailers that Melbourne City Council use $2 million in
marketing money to help police clean up the heroin problem was the
wrong solution, Victorian Premier Steve Bracks said today.

The premier acknowledged there had been a serious drug problem in the
city for a long time and said the government was progressively
boosting police numbers by 800 officers to improve law
enforcement.

The state government also was attempting to set up supervised heroin
injecting rooms around Melbourne to combat drug abuse on the street.

According to a newspaper report today, city shopkeepers wanted a 'war
chest' to help police clear drug dealers from the street.

The retailers want Melbourne City Council to hand over to Victoria
Police $2 million earmarked for marketing the city.

"I understand the issue and the concern of traders," Mr Bracks
said.

"And I think they should obviously be working with police and police
command to ensure that we have an adequate response to what's
happening done there.

"That does not require $2 million to be contributed to the police for
them to do their work."

Mr Bracks said policing was the responsibility of the state
government, not local government or retailers.

"We don't have a privatised police force - we are funding it
adequately and properly," Mr Bracks said.

"We're putting extra resources in."