TRIAL MAY START THIS YEAR

Supervised injecting facilities for heroin users could be operating in the
central business district and suburban Melbourne by the end of the year,
after key mayors yesterday backed the contentious plan.

The mayors of the Cities of Yarra and Port Phillip gave their full support
to the plan after the Victorian Government announced the go-ahead for an
18-month trial of the facilities in up to five municipalities.

But the government is yet to win the broad political support needed to
implement the trial after the Opposition parties yesterday expressed
reservations about it.

The Liberal Party, which controls the upper house of parliament, said it
would not approve such a "radical social experiment" until the full details
were known. The National Party expressed "very, very grave concerns" about
the proposal.

Gippsland West independent MP Susan Davies said while she was uncomfortable
with the trial she would not stand in its way.

Fellow independent MPs Russell Savage and Craig Ingram suspended judgment
pending a briefing from Dr David Penington, the chairman of the Drug Policy
Expert Committee.

Health Minister John Thwaites said the injecting facilities could be set up
in Melbourne, St Kilda, Fitzroy, Footscray and Springvale if appropriate
legislation was passed by parliament and won the support of local councils.

Mr Thwaites said the first facility was unlikely to open before the end of
the year to ensure sufficient consultation between councils, police,
community and residents groups.

Melbourne's Lord Mayor Peter Costigan said he was personally supportive of
an injecting facility, but could not speak for other councillors.

The City of Greater Dandenong and the Maribyrnong City Council said they
were neither for or against the proposal, pending further community
consultation.

Dr Penington said two facilities could be set up in the City of Yarra - in
Smith Street and Victoria Street - with a survey of residents in the five
municipalities showing strong support for the plan.

Mr Thwaites said the government would introduce enabling legislation during
this parliamentary session but it would be held over to the spring session
to allow for consultation. He pledged an extra $55million towards drug
treatment and prevention.

The Federal Government said yesterday it would not block the proposed trial
but warned that the operators would probably be sued by distraught families
when someone died in the facility.