MP BREAKS RANKS OVER DRUG ROOMS

A National Party MP has broken ranks from the Opposition and declared
his support for a trial of drug-injecting facilities.

Mr Don Kilgour, the member for Shepparton, told Parliament a
controlled trial would best determine the benefits and disadvantages
of supervised injecting centres.

"A trial of safe injecting facilities must be conducted, but they
carry a tremendous burden," he said.

Mr Kilgour's support for a trial may help the Government implement its
proposal for five injecting centres after the independent member for
Mildura, Mr Russell Savage, expressed reservations about the plan.

The Government needs the support of all three independents to pass any
legislation.

The independent member for Gippsland West, Ms Susan Davies, said she
shared a lot of Mr Savage's concerns and would not say whether she
would support the proposal.

But she said if a trial went ahead, she hoped it would be done with a
great deal of thought and with a preparedness to pull back if it did
not work.

"I think maybe it's time to do something but I think we need to tread
very carefully," she said.

Mr Kilgour, who was a member for the Drugs and Crime Prevention
Committee in the last Parliament, said politicians must have "an open
mind" to get the best information and do what is in the long-term best
interests of Victorians.

He quoted from a discussion paper released by the former member for
Springvale, Mr Eddie Micallef, which stated: "One of the principle
reasons for looking closely at the experience of safe injecting
facilities overseas ... is in their perceived ability to substantially
curtail the incidence of death from overdose in the injecting
illicit-drug using community."

Mr Kilgour said the police must be involved in planning a trial and
legal factors should be considered.

The Opposition Leader, Dr Denis Napthine, said the Liberal and
National parties "would have a united view" on the injecting
facilities, once the Penington committee completed its report.

The former Kennett Government had supported a controlled heroin trail
but Dr Napthine said Opposition MPs had a number of concerns about
unregistered users and how the quantity and quality of drugs would be
controlled.

The Labor Government has proposed setting up supervised heroin
facilities at Footscray, St Kilda, Springvale, Collingwood and the
city.

It has committed $8million - out of a $20million drugs policy - to set
up the centres and has appointed Dr David Penington to lead a
committee to consult on the policy.