STATE OPPOSITION SLAMS HEROIN INJECTING ROOMS PLAN

MELBOURNE - Plans for five heroin injecting rooms across Melbourne have hit
a major hurdle, with strong criticisms from the Victorian opposition.

Opposition health spokesman Robert Doyle yesterday raised several concerns,
including questions over who would be liable if a drug user died in one of
the heroin injecting rooms, and whether there would be an age limit on users.

Doyle also questioned whether they would be set up near schools,
kindergartens or hospitals.

He warned parliament: 'Abandon this policy, and if you are just locked into
it because it was in the policy and we lost (the election), then you are
not helping the people of Victoria'.

The government wants to introduce the safe injecting rooms for an 18-month
trial to fight the growing number of drug deaths in Victoria, of which
there have been 247 so far this year.

Any legislation for the safe injecting rooms would require support from the
conservative parties to be passed by state parliament's upper house.

Doyle said the opposition would support a 'thought-through, considered and
coherent policy'.

"This is not one of these policies," he said.

But Premier Steve Bracks yesterday said an expert committee would examine
all issues including running costs, legal and medical matters.

"We have a full capacity with our $20 million package to make sure this
matter is fully funded and will see the proper attention it deserves,"
Bracks told parliament.