CONCEPT OF TRIAL NEEDS CLOSER LOOK

`Do we want kids injecting in side alleys or do we want something more
civilised?'

KEIRA MP David Campbell: I am in support of the concept of a trial of
shooting galleries - if we are able to give addicts a location which is
supportive and where counsellors and rehabilitation workers may be able to
engage them in conversation and give them options for rehabilitation.

If an addict is injecting in a safer, cleaner environment - rather than in a
back alley or public toilets - then the entire community's health is better
protected.

It also guards the needle properly so they are not discarded in the street
or an entrance foyer or all sorts of locations that needles are found which
cause stress and danger to the community.

If there is a place which might make a difference then we must look at these
issues.

These places should be operated by a non-government organisation and there
needs to be a strong policy of chasing dealers from the vicinity so they
don't target these places.

I also strongly agree with the argument that we should be trying to stop the
availability of illicit drugs, and we should continue to proceed towards
that goal.

In the interim, however, we need to look after community health issues and
try and get existing addicts into rehabilitation.

I support the principle of trials but would be interested to see exactly how
they would be established and operated - parameters the government is
currently trying to work out.

WOLLONGONG MP Colin Markham: I spent five days at the drug summit and learnt
more in those five days than I would ever have imagined. There were
questions like: "Do we want shooting galleries or dying alleys?" which makes
you think, do we want kids injecting in side alleys or do we want something
more civilised?

Another strong argument was that if heroin addicts stay alive, they will
eventually kick the habit, even if it takes 10-15 years. But after that
there is every chance that person will recommit to society in a useful manner.

There were a lot of very interesting arguments along these lines and the
proposed injecting rooms were just one of the recommendations.

However, even if the Government decided to go ahead with these medically
controlled heroin injecting rooms, which would be supervised by a qualified
person, the only way a facility would be set up would be after full
community consultation.

A non-government organisation would have to make an approach to government
and ask to set up such a room before it would even be considered. Then the
idea would have to be canvassed throughout the community to gauge reactions.

Without that, it just wouldn't happen.

KIAMA MP Matt Brown: I believe it's up to the community whether they see a
shooting gallery as right for their area or not; if they don't want it, I
don't think they should have to have it.

The reason I feel this way is that if there is no community support for a
shooting gallery as a form of harm minimisation, then it's not going to
work, anyway.

I have received no-one expressing the desire to have a shooting gallery
within the Illawarra and I don't think that's surprising.