WORKSHOP CHAIR MPS IN DRUG SUMMIT HOT SEATS

TEN NSW ministers will play dominant roles during the Carr
Government's week-long drug summit by chairing workshops with State
and national drug experts.

Each minister, including Health Minister Craig Knowles, will thrash
out resolutions to issues such as safe injecting rooms, appropriate
funding levels and roles for the private sector.

The workshops mean drug and health experts, including supporters of
the safe injecting room opened in Kings Cross this week, will be able
to lobby ministers directly for drug reform.

Resolutions agreed to at the workshops will be presented to the summit
at the week's end.

The 135 State MPs and more than 75 delegates attending the summit will
be able to vote on the resolutions and other outcomes from the summit
to determine whether they should be adopted by the Carr Government as
an action plan.

Under proposals for the summit, the resolutions would be passed only
if supported by a two-thirds majority of those voting.

The Office of the Premier and Cabinet are still finalising the list of
invited delegates, as well as the format of the summit, which starts
on May 17 at NSW Parliament House.

More than 75 delegates are expected to attend, including Police
Commissioner Peter Ryan, health and social service experts, such as
drug reform campaigner Alex Wodak and The Salvation Army's Major Brian
Watters.

Some experts working with drug addicts yesterday criticised the
Government for failing to invite them.

The summit will be chaired by former National Party leader Ian
Sinclair and former Victorian premier Joan Kirner.

During the summit, MPs and delegates are expected to visit drug
services and known drug areas in and around Sydney to gain an
understanding of the problem.

Sections of the summit will be open to the public and will take
submissions. Politicians, law enforcement, police, health, drug,
church and social service experts have been invited to deliver speeches.

The summit, announced by Premier Bob Carr earlier this year, comes in
the wake of Australia's first organised trial of a supervised drug
injecting room, which has sparked heated debate this week.

The NSW Coalition yesterday labelled the injecting room, or Tolerance
Room, at the Wayside Chapel a stunt for opening two weeks before the
start of the summit.

The Tolerance Room was also condemned by the family of the Wayside
Chapel's late founder, Ted Noffs.