CARR FACES DRUG DILEMMA

An unexpectedly strong push for drug law reform is emerging at the NSW Drug
Summit, in a challenge to the long-standing views of the Premier, who
opposes scaling back existing prohibitions.

The gathering support for safe heroin injection rooms as a key
recommendation will present Mr Carr with a political dilemma as he has made
clear his personal unease with this and other harm minimisation strategies
such as heroin trials, promising a conscience vote for all Labor MPs.

While a heroin trial will be rejected by the summit, the new law reform
package also comes in spite of early public calls from both Mr Carr and his
Special Minister of State, Mr Della Bosca, for lowered public expectations
from the gathering.

The recommended legal changes, likely to also include the removal of jail
terms for cannabis use, are now set to be put on the table fora final vote
of the 135 State MPs and 80 non-parliamentary delegates tomorrow.

The Government will formally respond in four to six weeks' time but the
political bipartisanship which was promised for this week has evaporated,
adding to pressure for Mr Carr to overrule summit recommendations.

The shadow Treasurer, Mr Peter Debnam, led the charge yesterday against the
emerging liberalisation agenda, saying: "This is a total set-up of the
resolutions to be put forward [from summit working groups to tomorrow's
final session].

"The decriminalisation of drugs and backing off law enforcement on cannabis
was a determined agenda of the left wing of the Labor Party and the
bureaucracy from the beginning and no argument in the working groups was
going to change that. We will have to depend on the votes on the floor of
the summit [to overturn them]."

The recommendations will be handed to the special resolutions group, which
will draft the final proposals for the vote tomorrow. They include:

A huge increase in funding for detoxification and rehabilitation services.

A trial, under Health Department auspices, of supervised, legal heroin
injection facilities, which would be allowed to operate undisturbed. This
was supported late last night by the health maintenance working group, with
the proviso that locals be polled on such trials through their councils.

Abolition of jail terms for possession of cannabis, cultivation of a small
number of plants and the possession, use or sale of cannabis smoking equipment.

Trial of a police cautioning system for minor cannabis offences and
consideration of an extension of the program to other drugs. Offenders would
have to admit possession, say the drug was for personal use, and undergo
drug education.

Expansion of the Drug Court trial to the Children's Court.

Decriminalisation of the possession of injecting equipment such as syringes,
and self-administration of illicit drugs.

Expansion of the Young Offenders Act to include minor drug offences in the
conferencing program. The proposals are effectively the product of two main
working groups - Breaking The Drugs and Crime Cycle, chaired by the
Attorney-General, Mr Shaw, and Drugs and Law Enforcement, chaired by the
Police Minister, Mr Whelan.