CHAPEL REFUSES POLICE ENTRY TO INJECTING ROOM

The Wayside Chapel refused police entry to its heroin injecting room in
Kings Cross yesterday while 40 supporters, including drug users, were
crammed inside in an act of defiance.

The impasse intensified when the chapel changed its tactics, turning police
away because they had no search warrant, instead of inviting them in, as it
did on Wednesday. The six officers warned they would return.

The Rev Ray Richmond said a conference was being held in the chapel at the
time and delegates, including AIDS Council representatives, decided to show
their support publicly.

Meanwhile, the NSW Law Society and the Australian Medical Association
agreed on the first joint protocol for tackling illicit drugs. The protocol
recommends a trial in which people found in possession of small quantities
of illegal drugs would be cautioned rather than charged.

The protocol, expected to be released next week, has been developed by the
organisations on the principle that the results of drug abuse are mainly
health and social rather than criminal issues.

Criticism over the the invitation list to the NSW Drug Summit has also
intensified, with claims that representatives of non-English-speaking and
migrant communities have been excluded. The only participant from ethnic
communities is Lan Vy Ty, vice-chair of the Ethnic Communities Council.

A spokeswoman for the Premier said the list of 80 should be finalised by
Monday.

The Leader of the Opposition, Mrs Chikarovski, said she was concerned by
several omissions and had written to the Premier, Mr Carr, suggesting
names. "There are few users on the list. You cannot invite everyone but it
surely must be as representative as possible if it is to succeed," she said.

The Independent MP for Bligh, Ms Clover Moore, said it was essential that
speakers could inform the Parliament about the real situation on the
street. "I just don't think the majority of MPs who drive by in an
air-conditioned car have any notion of what it is like for people who live
in an area like Bligh and for whom stepping over unconscious people or
witnessing overdoses is a daily occurrence," she said.

The Prime Minister, Mr Howard, yesterday re-entered the debate on the
heroin trial, claiming a report commissioned by the World Health
Organisation had cast doubt over previous claims about the benefits of a
heroin trial in Switzerland. He said the report found there was no
convincing evidence that heroin prescription generally led to better
outcomes than methadone treatment.

But a copy of the report provided by Mr Howard's office says participants
in the trial reported health improvements and decreased criminal behaviour
and use of illicit heroin.