ACT PASSES SHOOTING GALLERY LAW

The ACT government has passed legislation giving the go-ahead for a heroin
shooting gallery in Canberra's city centre.

Under the controversial bill which passed through the ACT legislative
assembly last night, the safe injecting room will be set up in the suburb of
Civic for an initial trial period of two years.

It will be staffed by qualified health professionals who will provide
addicts with counselling, referral and diversionary services.

The experiment will be evaluated by independent scientific researchers.

This is the second such safe injection room to be given the nod, following
the passage of similar legislation through the NSW parliament in October.

The ACT law passed after it won cross-party support with backing from the
Labor opposition and some but not all government members. It was strongly
opposed by three cross-bench members.

ACT Health Minister Michael Moore, who has long pushed the need for
alternative approaches to the drug problem including the unsuccessful move
for a heroin trial, said the debate was passionate but mature.

"Each of us has gone down a personal road to Damascus in realising that if
we are to attack the problem of drug abuse, we must be prepared to try a
wide range of approaches," he said in a statement.

"The community is calling for leadership and the ACT government, like those
of New South Wales and Victoria, is moving to provide it."

The safe injecting room trial exemplifies the harm minimisation approach
which aims to reduce the risk of death by overdose and infection caused by
the use of unclean utensils.

Moore said the ACT trial represented a small element of comprehensive
approach to misuse of illegal drugs.

He said he expected the facility would operate from March next year.