LIBS TO HEAR ON INJECTING ROOMS

Drugs expert David Penington will argue the case for a test of supervised
drug injecting centres at a meeting of Liberal Party MPs.

The revelation came as Premier Steve Bracks said he was encouraged by the
public support for supervised injecting rooms from two Liberal backbenchers.

Dr Penington, who chairs the State Government's Drug Policy Expert
Committee, confirmed he had accepted an invitation from Opposition Leader
Denis Napthine to address Liberal members on his controversial proposal to
test five injecting rooms for an 18-month period.

The Liberal Party is yet to adopt an official position on the test, which
is backed by the State Government, though Dr Napthine and several of his
senior colleagues have grave concerns about it.

Liberal MPs are expected to raise the issue at a party meeting on Tuesday,
but a final decision is unlikely before Dr Penington has had an opportunity
to present his argument and the government's legislation has been considered.

Dr Penington addressed a forum of Liberal Party members on the drugs issue
on April 8. Upper house MP John Ross, who has worked in the field of drug
addiction, also spoke to the gathering.

Dr Ross, who last year presented Dr Penington with a report based on a
visit to drug injecting rooms in Europe, said he would also be addressing
his party room.

While Dr Napthine has publicly expressed strong reservations about
supervised injecting centres, two Liberal MPs - Hurtle Lupton and Tony
Plowman - have voiced support for a trial and several of their colleagues
have privately said they favor it.

Mr Bracks said Victoria should not await the outcome of an injecting-room
trial in Sydney before embarking on its own experiment. He said he did not
want to stand by and "watch people die".