UN FORCES DELAY IN INJECTING ROOMS

HEROIN injecting rooms have effectively been put on hold and will not
operate in Australia until at least March, after a visit from the
United Nations Narcotics Control Board.

The planned visit from the international panel, which can rule on the
legality of heroin trials, adds a new element in the fight between the
Commonwealth and states over the safe injecting rooms.

Although the NSW, Victorian and ACT governments are continuing with
plans for injecting rooms, a meeting of state and federal officials on
Wednesday determined there would be co-operation with the UN body.

Representatives of the control board, which has warned that the rooms
are illegal and damaging to the image of the Sydney Olympics, will
examine the scheme in March.

The board has told the NSW Government its planned injecting room was
contrary to international drug-control conventions, had serious legal
problems and might expose the Government to charges of complicity in
criminal offences.

On Wednesday, federal and state officials from NSW, Victoria and the
ACT met to discuss the heroin trials.

Federal officials told the meeting that the UN body would send
officials to Australia in March to determine if the heroin trials were
in breach of international conventions news which came as a shock to
the state officials.

When the UN first raised its concerns with the NSW Government, John
Howard said he could not ignore the fact that the heroin trials could
breach international law.

The Prime Minister asked that the state and territory governments
involved with the trials did not "proceed with your proposals until
the Commonwealth, in discussion with the states and territories, has
had an opportunity to consider all of the implications involved".

However, NSW will continue with its plans for an injecting room, a
spokesman for Special Minister of State John Della Bosca said.

But difficulties in finding a suitable location in Sydney's Kings
Cross could delay the trial until at least March or April next year,
the spokesman said.

He said the state Government would co-operate with the UN visit but
would still establish the injecting room, if possible through the
services of the Uniting Church.

"This a matter for the states," he said.

A spokesman for the ACT Government said the territory would co-operate
with the UN board.