VIC: Higher gambling taxes to pay for ALP s drugs plan

AAP General News (Australia)
08-04-1999
VIC: Higher gambling taxes to pay for ALP s drugs plan

By Peter Barber and Krista Hughes, State Political Correspondents

MELBOURNE, August 4 AAP - Victoria would have five safe heroin injecting facilities under a
new Labor drug treatment regime funded by higher gambling taxes, Opposition Leader Steve
Bracks pledged today.

Labor pre-empted the government's own consideration of a safe injecting room trial by
launching today a broad-ranging drugs plan to cost an extra $20 million a year above current
government spending.

The package includes five safe injecting rooms, a specialised drugs court, support for a
medically-supervised heroin trial, mobile drug safety workers and more treatment and
rehabilitatio programs, as well as specialist school support staff.

It would be funded by gambling - half from the gaming-derived Community Support Fund and
half from increased taxation on gaming revenue.

Mr Bracks told reporters Labor would bring in a "moderate" increase in tax on turnover from
both the casino and electronic gaming to raise $10 million dedicated to spending on the drugs
crisis.

"This is a matter of enormous importance for Victoria, it's something which has to be
tackled head-on and we have done this patiently with good research and good consultation," he
said.

Labor would trial five safe injection facilities near needle exchanges in areas of high
drug use, preferably adjacent to public hospitals.

These would be spread around the state to prevent "honey pots" developing, where drug
dealers are drawn to places users congregate.

A drug court would be trialled in Dandenong to separate drug users from the criminal
mainstream.

Mr Bracks conceded a heroin trial required the support of Prime Minister John Howard, who
has firmly ruled it out, but hoped the Labor plan would persuade him to rethink his
opposition.

He also supported the decriminalisation of possession of small amounts of marijuana for
personal use.

The Kennett government is investigating whether to trial a safe injection facility in
Victoria following NSW Premier Bob Carr's announcement of such an experiment in Sydney.

But Mr Kennett attacked Labor's plan today as irresponsible.

He said the ALP had not explained how it would protect the operators of the houses and the
government from legal action in the event of an overdose.

"You might find those who are more hooked on drugs, who are mainly users but are also
traffickers of small quantities in order to support their own habit, enticing people and
taking them to a safe injecting house and starting them on a habit that could have diabolical
consequences," Mr Kennett told reporters.

Labor health spokesman John Thwaites said the question of legal liability was being
investigated and may require legislation.

AAP pjb/ra/shb

KEYWORD: DRUGS LABOR NIGHTLEAD

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