NEEDLE TRIAL DISMISSED

PREMIER Bob Carr last night ruled out trials of needle exchange programs in
the State's jails despite figures showing that up to 60 percent of inmates
have hepatitis C.

Mr Carr also rejected the recommendation of a report that prisoners be
allowed to get tattoos in hygenic conditions to help stop the spread of the
disease.

The parliamentary committee report found that hepatitis C had reached
epidemic proportions in the community with 30 people being infected a day.

Despite the epidemic, the State Government had no policies for the control,
treatment and prevention of the disease, the social issues committee report
said.

It found there was a "shocking rate" of infection in the State's jails with
evidence of needles being shared by large groups of prisoners.