HEROIN GALLERY STANDS FIRM ON POLICE RAIDS

The organisers of an illegal heroin "shooting gallery" in Sydney's Kings
Cross district yesterday threatened to defy authorities and reopen if they
were raided by police.

A showdown appeared increasingly likely as volunteers at the Tolerance Room,
or T-Room, prepared to open its doors to addicts at the Wayside Chapel
today. "If we are closed down, we will open again," the Reverend Ray
Richmond said.

The New South Wales Premier, Mr Bob Carr, yesterday received a briefing on
the situation from the Kings Cross police commander, Superintendent Bob Myatt.

Mr Myatt had previously warned that his officers were obliged to uphold the
law and would act against any suspected illegal activity in the T-Room.

Health care professionals, religious leaders and several serving and former
politicians attended a press conference in the chapel, where it was
revealed that secret preparations for the T-Room had been going on
for seven months.

The organisers won in-principle support from the Federal Opposition Leader,
Mr Kim Beazley, although he was cautious about the legal ramifications of
their actions.

But the NSW Opposition Leader, Mrs Kerry Chikarovski, accused the State
Government of shirking its responsibility by not ordering an immediate
police crackdown.

The family of the Wayside Chapel's late founder, Mr Ted Noffs, said the
T-Room had transformed the refuge from an oasis of hope to a den of despair.
Mr Wesley Noffs said the Ted Noffs Foundation had received more than 50
abusive calls from people who mistakenly thought the foundation was involved.