Vic: Injecting rooms should be away from shops retailers

AAP General News (Australia)
04-19-2000
Vic: Injecting rooms should be away from shops retailers

MELBOURNE, April 19 AAP - Victoria's five trial supervised injecting rooms should not
be located so they alienate shoppers, a retail group said today.

The state government has adopted a recommendation by the Drug Policy Expert Committee
to trial the centres in five Melbourne suburbs.

However, it said they would only go ahead with the support of local councils and would
not be located in open trading areas.

Australian Retailers Association spokesman Timothy Piper said the committee had given
an assurance the centres would not be placed on major trading thoroughfares.

But he said this should extend to all retail areas, not just major trading routes.

"Shoppers must not be alienated from their local shopping environment," he said.

Municipal Association of Victoria chief executive Rob Spence described the committee's
recommendations as responsible and sensitive to community needs.

"These facilities will not be forced on communities that don't want them and they won't
be located in sensitive areas," he said.

AAP lmw/jd/cjh

KEYWORD: INJECT REACT

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