MP QUESTIONS REDFERN HEROIN PLAN

Indigenous MP Linda Burney has cast doubt on whether making legal
heroin available to addicts in Redfern, in Sydney, would solve the
community's problems.

Lord Mayor Clover Moore has told the parliamentary inquiry on Redfern,
the community supports the establishment of a supervised injecting
room and legal heroin as a way to reduce drug-related crime and social
problems.

Ms Burnie agreed at the inquiry that legalising heroin would eliminate
the Redfern drug trade, but did not go so far as to support it.

She says Redfern's Indigenous residents need to be consulted first.

"Those discussions need to be had with the people that are going to be
directly affected by it, but this is no simple situation," she said.

"In my view, part of the answer is an extremely high focus on
educational outcomes for the Aboriginal kids over there and not only
that, but the creation of employment."