LET'S HAVE THE CRITERIA ON INJECTING ROOM

Now that the ACT Assembly has endorsed a legal injecting room on a two-year
trial basis, can we ask the Assembly to publish the criteria if they have
been identified on which the trial will be assessed?

The Labor leader is quoted as wanting `to combat the scourge of drug
abuse'. How does he intend to measure his attempt's success or failure?

The Chief Minister believes (faith being wonderful) that she is `taking
the right approach'. How will she assess the `rightness' of her belief?

The Health Minister said `the injecting room would be a gateway to detox
and counselling services'. Perhaps, there is a hint that the numbers
passing through could provide one criterion.

While the decision taken may not be universally popular, it would be
heartening to know that the Assembly and the Minister for Health was
interested in the assessment and evaluation of the decisions. The cynic
tells me not to hold my breath.

D. O'SULLIVAN
Weetangera