LABOR RANKS CLASH ON DRUG TRIAL

Defiant Young Labor delegates yesterday put themselves at odds with Premier
Bob Carr in calling for a heroin trial and legalised injecting rooms in NSW.

Young Labor president David Bradbury said yesterday's mid-year conference
overwhelmingly passed a resolution calling for a government-sponsored
heroin trial, safe injecting rooms and re-evaluation of the methadone program.

The resolution will form the basis of Young Labor's submission to Mr Carr's
May 17 Drug Summit, despite the Premier's long-standing opposition to a
trial and injecting rooms.

``We do not want to play up the conflict ... (but) we are not
representatives of the views of Bob Carr,'' Mr Bradbury said. ``I think it
(the resolution) sends a message in unequivocal terms what the youth wing
believes on this matter.''

The time had come for governments to employ new and innovative strategies
in the fight against drugs, he said.

``Heroin trials are not the panacea, but they may be part of the overall
solution and that's why they're at least worth a try.

``Our submission to the summit will be recommending that along with the use
of Naltrexone, the continuation of the drug court and the legalisation of
safe injecting rooms, heroin trials should form part of our overall
strategy towards drugs.''

Mr Bradbury said even though no Young Labor delegate would be at the
summit, their proposal would be submitted and they would continue to lobby
parties attending the event.