COURAGE NEEDED TO REDUCE HEROIN HARM

THERE is no proposal to put supervised heroin injection houses in the
electorates of Mildura, held by Russell Savage, or Gippsland East,
held by Craig Ingram. It seems anomalous in that case that the two
independents, who hold the balance of power in State Parliament,
should seek to scotch the proposal to establish injection houses in
inner-city areas, where polling indicates there is broad support for
them. Yet this is what appears likely to happen.

The Bracks Government recently accepted a proposal from the Drug
Expert Policy Committee, chaired by Dr David Penington, for a trial of
five injection houses, in the city, St Kilda, Footscray, Springvale
and Fitzroy-Collingwood. But the trial cannot go ahead without laws
passed by Parliament. Mr Savage has announced he will not support the
legislation and Mr Ingram has expressed reservations about it. The
National Party is firmly opposed to injecting rooms, and the
Opposition Leader, Denis Napthine, says the Liberal and National
Parties will be making a joint decision on the issue. While some
Liberals are likely to be in favor of the trial, Dr Napthine says he
sees no need for a conscience vote.

Dr Napthine should think again - as, indeed, should Mr Savage and Mr
Ingram. There is compelling evidence that existing methods of curbing
heroin use have failed. It has failed to stop cheap and plentiful
supplies of heroin reaching the streets of Melbourne and other
Australian cities, and it has failed to stop the increase in the
number of deaths caused by heroin use. In Victoria, overdose deaths
doubled between 1997 and 1999. Almost 100 people have died this year.

Dr Napthine and Mr Ingram have echoed the concerns of Prime Minister
John Howard that injection rooms send a ``wrong message'' about drug
use. What is clear is that whatever message is now being sent out is
not being heeded. There is evidence from some European cities that
providing supervised injection rooms can significantly reduce the
number of overdose deaths as well as the amount of crime associated
with drug use.

The Bracks Government has shown political courage in deciding to test
whether such injection rooms - along with a greater police presence on
the streets and more drug education and rehabilitation - can
ameliorate the problem here. The opposition needs to show some
political courage too. The problem is serious enough to warrant a
bipartisan political approach. If the Liberal leadership cannot act
courageously enough to pass the legislation, it should at least allow
a free vote. The plan just might go some way to reducing the harm of
drugs. So far, nothing else has.