CARR ALLOWS HEROIN ROOM AT HOSPITAL

THE State Government will allow a community-based drug injecting room to
operate in Kings Cross, NSW Premier Bob Carr said today.

Mr Carr made the announcement in response to the Drug Summit's 172
recommendations and pledged to change the laws in the next parliament to
allow the injecting room to go ahead.

Mr Carr said the injecting room would be operated by the Sisters of Charity
and St Vincent's Hospital.

But the Government did not say how much the facility would cost taxpayers.

"The Sisters have developed a proposal to run a facility in Kings Cross that
would operate for seven hours a day, seven days a week," Mr Carr said.

The injecting room would operate for an 18-month trial from next year and
would be the only one permitted.

The Kings Cross community, which had supported an injecting room, would be
"fully consulted".

"There is no area of Sydney with the concentration of street use that Kings
Cross residents have to endure," Mr Carr said.

"The trial will go some way to reducing this problem to the benefit of the
community.

"There is no intention to impose this facility on the Kings Cross community
without consultation and broad support."

The trial aims to:

SHIFT users from the streets and local residents' properties to a medical
facility.

PROVIDE a point of referral for treatment and counselling.

ASSESS the value of the approach.

REDUCE the spread of diseases, including hepatitis and AIDS.

The facility will be staffed by a medical supervisor, security, a nurse and
a counsellor.

"I don't think the injecting room is going to be as beneficial as its most
passionate advocators believe ... but we are obliged to do something," Mr
Carr said.

Other drug initiatives included:

A COMPULSORY treatment program for drug offenders in the Illawarra area and
on the far north coast.

A CANNABIS cautioning scheme in NSW for the next 12 months.

And Mr Carr called on drug users not to "blame the community" for being
hooked.

"In announcing our response to the drugs summit we're telling people they
have to take responsibility for themselves," he said.

"We've got to provide incentives for people to do it (get off drugs)."

The Carr Government's response to the Drug Summit's recommendations also
will include a plan for addicts in methadone programs to sign performance
contracts binding them to strict treatment programs under threat of tough
penalties.

Addicts will be given methadone if they agree to regulations such as turning
up at clinics at specified times and attending training courses.

Methadone clinics also will be forced to comply with new regulations,
including a restriction on client numbers and random checks on their
premises.

Addicts who have proven themselves responsible also will be given more
"privileges", including being entrusted with "take-away" doses of methadone
at weekends.