DELAYING HEROIN TRIAL IS FOOLISH, SAYS HUMPHRIES

Opposition Leader Gary Humphries has described as "foolish" delays in
considering a heroin trial in the ACT until a study had been carried out
into a self-injecting clinic in Sydney.

Mr Humphries visited the clinic on Friday, and said he found that very
little of the clinic's services would have any relevance to a heroin trial.
"I think the Government is foolish and copping out to link a heroin trial
with a supervised injecting place in Sydney," he said.

"My strong impression was that they [workers at the clinic] saw things
quite differently.

"I think it is an excuse to go cold on the heroin trial in the ACT."

The Liberal Party would seek a referendum before either a trial or a clinic
could be sought for the ACT. But from his own experiences, the clinic would
have little or no relevance.

Mr Humphries said that if Chief Minister Jon Stanhope delayed until the end
of the clinic study, it meant the trial would be on the public agenda at
the same time as the next ACT elections.

"He is unlikely to go for a heroin trial with the ACT elections in the
offing," Mr Humphries said.

"The delay is a nonsense because the two things are not connected. It is
more relevant to ask the ACT community what it thinks first."