INJECTING ROOM TRIAL EXTENDED

AUSTRALIA'S first heroin injecting room trial will be extended by one year,
the NSW government has said. The 18-month Sydney trial, which officially
began on May 1 last year, will now end in October, 2003.

Special Minister of State John Della Bosca said an agreement had been
struck with the centre's licence operators, the Board of Uniting Care
Australia, late last night to extend the trial in view of its success.

He said there had been 200 overdoses in the Kings Cross clinic, but no deaths.

He denied the move was being made to avoid any decision on the trial's
future being made near the March 2003 state election.

"Last night the Board of Uniting Care Australia considered a request by the
NSW government to extend the life of the medically supervised injecting
room trial for 12 months," he said.

"The Board of Uniting Care Australia has indicated they are prepared to be
the licensee for an additional 12 months."

Mr Della Bosca said the NSW government would have to legislate for the
extension.

The move is expected to trigger a fresh debate on the issue in parliament.

But Mr Della Bosca said it was "commonsense" the trial continue at least
until the release of an independent evaluation of the clinic was completed
in April next year.