Pubdate: Fri, 10 Dec 99 Source: Canberra Times (Australia) Copyright: 1999 Canberra Times Contact: http://www.canberratimes.com.au/ Author: Liz Armitage MLAs PASS DRUG BILL The ACT heroin injecting room will be set up in the Civic area in the next few months under controversial legislation passed in the Assembly late last night. The Assembly is the second parliament in Australia to endorse a legal injecting room after the NSW Parliament passed similar legislation in late October. The Supervised Injecting Place Trial Bill won majority support in the Assembly, with 10 votes to seven. The passage of the legislation marks the end of a year-long debate in which Health Minister Michael Moore has tried to win Assembly support for the proposal. The injecting room became a reality in August when Labor lent its support subject to a series of amendments. Labor Leader Jon Stanhope said last night he also wanted to establish a 'high-level' bipartisan task force in the ACT to 'combat the scourge of drug abuse'. The injecting room will be run on a two-year trial basis. Prosecution for heroin use and possession of small amounts of the drug will be suspended inside the facility. The legislation was vigorously opposed by some Government Members and cross-benchers Paul Osborne, Dave Rugendyke, and Trevor Kaine. Chief Minister Kate Carnell and Urban Services Minister Brendan Smyth split with ACT Liberal Party policy to support the proposal. (The party recently passed a motion abolishing the Liberal conscience vote until the issue went to a referendum.) Mrs Carnell said the injecting room would not be a panacea but it was one of a broad range of treatments for heroin users. 'They are kids who went to good schools, who came from good homes, who are bright, capable, and have a lot to offer . . . It could happen to any of us as parents,' she said. 'I believe absolutely, definitely in my heart of hearts that I am taking the right approach,' she said. Mr Moore said the injecting room would be a gateway to detox and counselling services as well as providing clean equipment and a supervised environment in which to inject drugs. 'A dead drug user cannot be persuaded into treatment. A dead drug user does not hear any messages,' Mr Moore said. Mr Rugendyke said the Bill had been rushed through the Assembly without proper consideration of the associated problems. 'It's basically the agenda of a ring-in Liberal Michael Moore, while the majority of the Liberal Party does not even support the Bill.' Speaker Greg Cornwell said the media perpetuated the notion that people should feel compassion for 'the law breakers and the drug thugs in our midst'. 'I don't think we should inflict the unknown perils of a shooting gallery upon Canberra.' Greens Member Kerrie Tucker appealed to Members who opposed the Bill to look for a sense of compassion. 'It's not about saying that [heroin use is] okay. It's about saying that it's incredibly dangerous that you may die as a result of using this drug,' she said. - --- MAP posted-by: Derek Rea