KNOWLES OPTS FOR $3M TREATMENT AS INJECTING ROOMS RULED OUT

A pilot scheme allowing drug offenders to enter treatment programs
instead of facing charges will be extended throughout Victoria, the
State Government said yesterday.

But the Health Minister, Mr Rob Knowles, has ruled out allowing
supervised ``safe'' injecting facilities for heroin users.

Under the drug warning system, people caught with small quantities of
illicit drugs are cautioned by police and referred to a rehabilitation
facility, provided they have committed no other crimes.

A trial of the system began last year in two police districts in
Melbourne's western and north-western suburbs. Sixty users went
through the drug diversion pilot program.

As part of his announcement yesterday, Mr Knowles pledged $3million in
extra funding for live-in withdrawal and rehabilitation services for
young people.

The Opposition Leader, Mr Steve Bracks, attacked the decision on
injecting facilities, saying it was designed to avoid a backlash at
next month's election.

``I'm not interested in votes on this issue,'' Mr Bracks said. ``I
want to save lives.''

Users are now injecting on street corners, in children's playgrounds
and shopping centres, he said. Labor is proposing five safe injecting
houses if it wins office.

``He (the Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett) said he would keep an open mind,
but in order to save his own political skin rather than Victorians'
lives, he's now going to go into character and type and use this as a
scare campaign during the election,'' he said.

The Government has left open the possibility of changing its mind on
safe injecting houses if trials in New South Wales and the ACT are
successful. Mr Knowles said the Government would monitor the progress
of those trials.

Drug experts said they were not surprised by the decision on injecting
rooms.

Professor David Penington, who chaired the Premier's Drugs Advisory
Council more than three years ago, said it was extremely difficult to
have an ``open and dispassionate debate'' in a campaign climate. ``I
think policies dealing with the problem inevitably evolve step by
step. So I'm sure there will be further consideration in due course,''
he said.

The director of the Melbourne Citymission, the Reverend Ray Cleary,
said the decision probably reflected public opinion that safe
injecting rooms would encourage drug use. ``While I can understand the
hesitancy on the part of Government, this will not solve the problem
of people killing themselves,'' he said.

Mr Craig Mercer, the manager of the Melbourne Inner-City Needle
Exchange in Smith Street, Collingwood, urged the Government not to
block independent organisations from funding safe injecting rooms.

Mr Kennett said late last month that he would consider establishing a
safe injecting facility, but has questioned whether addicts would
travel to use it, along with the potential legal liabilities for the
Government and safe house operators.

Asked if the Government had chosen the soft option on drugs, Mr
Knowles said there was ``no overwhelming evidence that safe injecting
houses actually work'' and the expense involved - almost $1million -
could fund 12 rehabilitation beds for a year.

Yesterday he pledged $3million for four operators of residential drug
withdrawal facilities.

Details are yet to be finalised, but likely locations include
Footscray, Dandenong and perhaps Box Hill. Each of the four-bed
centres will treat young people from across the state who are referred
under the warning system.