SUPPORT GROWS FOR DRUG ROOM

Victoria may have a legal heroin injecting centre after Premier Jeff
Kennett said yesterday he was not opposed to the move.

He gave cautious support to plans by the ACT and New South Wales
governments to back heroin trials in their states.

The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Dr George Pell, also said he
would not rule out supporting a legal injection house.

Mr Kennett said he would seek advice on a formal response to the
Sydney Catholic Sisters of Charity and St Vincent's Hospital testing a
safe injecting room in Kings Cross.

His comments came as calls grew yesterday for Victoria to follow
Sydney's lead in approving a legal trial where heroin users could
inject under supervision.

"I'd like to have a look specifically at what Premier Carr is trying
to do and then speak to some of my advisers ... to see whether we take
it further," Mr Kennett said.

"I am not opposed to safe houses. We'll give consideration to
it."

Mr Kennett said the law would have to be changed.

"I still have some concerns about the legal aspects and what might
happen if the family of a person who still lost their life in a safer
environment ... who they were going to potentially legally attack," he
said.

A spokesman for Dr Pell yesterday said the archdiocese had set up a
taskforce to report within three months on options to combat drug abuse.

Although support for a legal injecting room in Melbourne could not be
ruled out, the church opposed supplying drugs to users as a strategy.
"The biggest issue is, are these people (who will use injecting rooms)
being helped to get off the drugs or is it just a damage limitation
method," the spokesman said.

Father Peter Norden, of Jesuit Social Services, yesterday welcomed the
participation of nuns in Sydney's experiment and said Victoria should
consider a similar facility.

"It's not a problem that's related to Kings Cross or to the Australian
Capital Territory. It's a problem facing our whole country," he said.

Open Family street worker Les Twentyman said a hospital trial was
worthwhile initially but community-based rooms were better because
they were less intimidating.

But Prime Minister John Howard will not support the idea because he
said it sent the wrong signal.