Pubdate: Fri, 18 Aug 2000 Source: Australian Associated Press (Australia) Copyright: 2000 Australian Associated Press UNITING CHURCH GRANTED LICENCE FOR INJECTING ROOM The final hurdle to the opening of a heroin shooting gallery in Sydney has been cleared with the Uniting Church officially receiving its licence to run it. The Uniting Church had originally hoped to have the safe injecting room open by now but was stalled as it waited for official approval. Announcing the licence today, New South Wales Special Minister of State John Della Bosca said he expected the 18-month trial of the room in Sydney's Kings Cross to start in October. Mr Della Bosca said the Uniting Church had met the strict criteria required by the police commissioner and the director general of health. "We want the medically supervised injecting centre to be a gateway to treatment and rehabilitation," Mr Della Bosca said in a statement. "The medically supervised injecting centre is only a small part of the $176 million plan of action to tackle drug abuse, including the $93 million for new drug and alcohol treatment services." The room is one of 176 recommendations of the NSW 1999 drug summit - --- MAP posted-by: Don Beck