BRAKES PUT ON HEROIN INJECTING ROOM TRIALS

The Prime Minister has warned the New South Wales, Victorian and ACT
Governments not to proceed with the trial of heroin injection rooms.

The United Nations International Narcotics Control Board has raised serious
legal concerns about the New South Wales trial.

The Narcotics Control Board has written to the NSW Government, saying its
18-month trial cannot be considered a medical or scientific trial and may be
in breach of international conventions.

It also says as host of the 2000 Olympics, Australia should be promoting
healthy lifestyles.

Prime Minister John Howard has written to NSW Premier Bob Carr saying he
cannot ignore assertions the trial could be in breach of international
obligations.

Mr Howard has also sent similar letters to the Victorian Premier and ACT
Chief Minister.

Mr Howard has requested the governments not proceed until further discussion
between the Commonwealth, states and territories.

Although Mr Howard has not threatened to veto any proposed trial, the
Federal Government would have the power to do so under the external affairs
powers of the Constitution.

ACT

ACT Chief Minister Kate Carnell says her government has legal advice that
Canberra's proposed heroin injecting room trial is not in contravention of
Australia's international treaty obligations.

Mrs Carnell says the ACT is prepared to convene a meeting of state and
territory governments to discuss the issue.

"What the Prime Minister said is first of all he would normally take the
position that issues of health and other aspects in this sort of area were
matters for the state and territory governments," she said.

"But because he has this letter from the International Narcotics [Control]
Board, he believes that we should not go ahead with our supervised injecting
place until we've had a national meeting of states and territories to
discuss the implications involved.

"I think those were his exact words."

ACT Health Minister Michael Moore says agrees that the injecting room trials
are not breaching any of Australia's international obligations.

"I can understand the attitude of the International Narcotics Control Board
but remember this is being done in other countries who are signatories to
the same treaties," he said.

"We have taken legal advice, we believe it's consistent [with the treaties].

"It's a scientific trial, it's being conducted by the Australian National
University and the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health,
it's one of the leading scientific institutions in the world.

"I think that these are matters we can work through with the Prime
Minister."

VIC, NSW

Victoria's Health Minister, John Thwaites, says the Prime Minister's letter
will not stop the Victorian government from proceeding with its plans for
heroin injecting facilities.

New South Wales Special Minister of State John Della Bosca says the Prime
Minister's involvement is unwarranted and ill-informed.

Mr Della Bosca says Mr Howard has known about the trial for six months and
it is extraordinary that he has chosen to speak out now.

"What the Federal Government should be doing is defending the Australian
community and the Australian community's right to tackle the problem from an
Australian point of view, using an Australian idea," he said.

"We don't want to be dictated to by some group of people in Zurich or New
York or anywhere else."

Mr Della Bosca has rejected the Prime Minister's suggestion the trial should
be halted this late into the planning.