MINISTER DEFENDS KINGS CROSS INJECTING ROOMS

The New South Wales Government has defended its Medically Supervised
Injecting Centre in Kings Cross, saying since it opened, there has been no
increase in crime and fewer users injecting in public.

Special Minister of State John Della Bosca has reacted angrily to a report
in a Sunday paper that around 800 drug deals a day are done in the area.

Mr Della Bosca says the article's view on the drug problem is absurd, and
almost all people with life experience in Sydney know there has been drug
dealing and use in Kings Cross for a very long time.

He says the Medically Supervised Injecting Room trial was assessed by
independent evaluators who found that the trial caused no increase in drug
dealing.

"It's for me to say whether or not the trial has been a success, we believe
it has been a success, it's been independently evaluated," he said.

"For the Herald to report that there is drug dealing in Kings Cross reminds
me of Claude Rains in Casablanca saying that he was shocked there was
gambling going on in the casino."

The Opposition says the figures on drug dealing in the Cross are a clear
sign the injecting room trial is not working.

Shadow Police Minister Peter Debnam says it should be shut down immediately.

"You only have to go there for a few hours and watch it as I did, and
you'll see all the problems with the clients stumbling out the back of the
injecting room, and the criminal activity on the streets," he said.

"What we need to say to Bob Carr is it was clearly a major mistake in
setting it up, admit that problem, put the millions of dollars that you're
putting into the injecting room, across into treatment."

A senior police officer from the region has confirmed on any given day
around 800 deals take place in the area.

The officer also says police recently shut down one of the four heroin
syndicates in Kings Cross, but they were replaced on the streets within a day.