UNIVERSITY PULLS OUT OF INJECTING ROOM TRIAL: GOVT

The University of New South Wales had withdrawn its offer to operate
Australia's first heroin injecting room, the NSW government said today.

But the Uniting Church is expected to announce today that it will run the
18-month trial.

The university had been negotiating with the government on operating the
Kings Cross-based injecting room after the project's first proposed
operator, the Sisters of Charity Health Service, pulled out last month on
orders from the Vatican.

It was reported today that the university withdrew its offer following
concerns among staff it would be unable to properly fulfil the dual roles of
injecting room operator and evaluator of the trial.

A spokesman for NSW Special Minister of State John Della Bosca confirmed the
university had pulled out.