GOVERNMENT UNCONCERNED ABOUT EUROPE MAYORS DRUG THREAT

The New South Wales government said today it was not concerned about
threats from European mayors to warn travellers away from Sydney if
heroin galleries were legalised.

A government spokeswoman said the government was still considering its
response to last month's drug summit, which recommended a trial of
heroin injecting rooms.

"We are certainly not going to be dictated to by a group of right wing
European mayors," she said.

"The opinions we care about are the opinions of the experts and the
community.

"Our decisions will be based on empirical evidence, not the uninformed
views expressed by this group."

A spokesman for Sydney lord mayor Frank Sartor said Australian capital
city lord mayors disagreed with their European counterparts.

He said Australian mayors endorsed a range of approaches including a
heroin trial and safe injecting rooms.