INJECTING ROOM ISSUE WILL NOT FADE AWAY

Leaving aside the merits or otherwise of a drug-injecting room, its approval
by the Legislative Assembly illustrates how independents with a small
constituency, but holding the balance of power, tend to "lead" rather than
"follow" (pursuing what they think the community needs, rather than what the
community wants). It seems the community generally, the silent majority,
doesn't favour a drug-injecting room. And, if they're tired of Moore pushing
his own social theories and think this is the final straw, they might not
return him or other assembly members who voted with him at the next
election. There might be no problem for Moore if the matter had faded away
or was low profile by the next election.

But the debate will be ongoing.

For example, debate about where the room is to be located has already
started (CT, December 11, p.3), with a health worker saying it needs to be
located so that drug users won't "feel exposed as they go in". No doubt
someone will point out that, rightly or wrongly, most people don't want to
be exposed to drug users either and that the room shouldn't be located
anywhere near shopping centres, businesses or private homes.

But even when that's settled, something else will emerge that keeps the
matter alive for the next two years.

R. S. GILBERT
Turner