BRACKS NAMES SITES FOR FIVE INJECTING ROOMS

Collingwood, Footscray, St Kilda, Springvale and the central business
district are likely sites for medically monitored safe injecting
houses if Labor is elected at next month's poll.

The Opposition Leader, Mr Steve Bracks, who announced the locations
yesterday, said no safe injecting rooms would be established unless
the local council was supportive and the community had been properly
consulted.

Only two councils so far - the cities of Yarra and Port Phillip - have
supported safe injecting houses for heroin addicts. The others,
Greater Dandenong, Maribyrnong and Melbourne, are yet to agree, but
have recognised that options for dealing with drugs need to be dealt
with.

Labor's plan prompted the Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett, to again attack
the Opposition as irresponsible, suggesting it was rushing ahead and
playing with drug users' lives.

``I'm not opposed to the concept (of safe injecting rooms), but I am
saying to you there is not enough supporting evidence at the moment to
suggest that we should embark upon it ourselves. Therefore we're not
going to do it,'' he said.

The coalition will wait 12 months to assess the success of a New South
Wales experiment. ``We are not going to approve safe injecting houses
until we can so minimise the risk that the potential advantages for
those at risk are going to be improved. This isn't about playing
around with people's lives.''

Mr Kennett has also expressed concerns about the potential legal
liabilities for the state and the operators of such a facility, saying
they could be sued by an addict's family in the event of a death.

But Mr Bracks yesterday suggested Mr Kennett intended to establish a
safe house after the election.

``Everyone knows if you happen to be elected you will commit yourself
to it,'' he said. ``Just stop carrying on about it and forget about
the politics of it.''

Other drug experts, including Professor David Penington, who chaired
the Premier's Drugs Advisory Council more than three years ago, have
suggested there would be further debate on the politically charged
issue after the election.

Should Labor be elected, Mr Bracks agreed it would be months before
any safe injecting facility was established because councils would
seek extensive public consultation before offering final support.

The houses would also be set up on a trial basis and their benefits
assessed.

Mr Bracks said state laws would have to be changed before a safe house
could begin operating.

A spokesman for the City of Melbourne said the council would consider
a report into the needs of addicts which was commissioned some time
ago. The report, by academic Dr John Fitzgerald, is yet to be
presented to the council.

Yarra's mayor, Cr Steve Watson, said support for safe injecting rooms
was adopted some time ago by the all-Labor council. He said it was
likely a safe house would be located away from homes and shops.

Port Phillip's mayor, Cr Dick Gross, said his council supported
medically supervised facilities, although it would not run one itself.

The mayor of Greater Dandenong, Cr Naim Melhem, supported any plan to
reduce the problems associated with syringes left on streets and in
playgrounds, but the council was awaiting a report before making a
decision.

In 1997 the council backed a proposal for a safe injecting house in
the municipality, but the plan was ruled out by the State Government.

Maribyrnong's mayor, Cr Bill Horrocks, said the council encouraged
open discussion about the options for tackling the drug problem. All
councils agreed that public consultation would be essential.