LOCAL SUPPORT GIVES COUNCILS ROOM TO MOVE

A HEROIN injecting room could be up and running as early as September
in Collingwood. City of Yarra mayor John Phillips said his community
was well aware the council supported setting up drug rooms.

"Our community knows we support it. We've tried to educate them so
there is more information and less hysteria," he said.

City of Port Phillip mayor Julian Hill also supports an injecting room
for St Kilda.

"It will be a difficult conversation with the community to find a
location, but 77 per cent of Port Phillip residents support a trial.
We will have to find a place," he said.

The municipalities of Melbourne, Greater Dandenong and Maribyrnong are
holding off declaring their position until they talk to the people.

Melbourne Lord Mayor Peter Costigan yesterday voiced his support for
an injecting room in the city but said a council decision was at least
three months away.

He said it rested on the outcome of further public meetings and the
proposed State Government-backed round table discussions.

Maribyrnong mayor Gerard White said although Footscray had a major
drug problem he would not commit the council to a resident poll to
determine views.

"We need to look at a whole range of issues first." he
said.

Maribyrnong councillor Tonya Stevens said she supported the trial in
principal because people were dying in the streets.

Injecting room sites have not been revealed, but the Prostitutes
Collective of Victoria building in Inkerman St has been mentioned as a
possible site for St Kilda's injecting room.

Youth worker Les Twentyman yesterday suggested an injecting room for
Nicholson St, Footscray. He said it was already the main area for drug
users.

An empty building set back from Nicholson St, near the corner of McNab
Ave, could be a site.

In Springvale there have been suggestions that an injecting room could
be sited in the industrial area surrounding Newcomen Rd, Parsons St
and Regal Drive, which is next to the major using and dealing strip of
Springvale Rd.