State election crunch-time for Injecting Centre

It’s over nine years since the Medically Supervised Injecting Centre (MSIC) was opened on a trial basis in Kings Cross, and its existence remains a sticking point for radical prohibitionists who oppose a harm minimisation approach to people with drug problems.

The Centre has now treated over 3,500 overdoses with no deaths. Still, the prohibitionists argue that, “statistically”, few or no lives have been saved. Right-wing elements of the state Liberal Party headed by MLC David Clarke, as well as Christian Democrat Fred Nile, are vehemently opposed to the Centre. If the Coalition wins the next State election, the Centre’s continuing trial basis would make it an easy target.

Closure of the Centre is a Liberal Party policy introduced by previous leader Peter Debnam. The more moderate current leader Barry O’Farrell has said the matter would go to a conscience vote, not a party vote, which would give the survival of the Centre a fighting chance.

But the current trial – and the Centre’s funding – expires on 31 October 2011, seven months after the next election, and the government could kill the project simply by doing nothing, as renewal of the trial requires a Parliamentary amendment.

Supporters of the Centre would like the Government to end the trials and to place decisions about the centre into the politically less volatile hands of health and police bureaucrats, which is why the imminent results of a review currently being prepared by KPMG will be crucial.

The review initially struck a snag when an online local opinion survey about the Centre was criticised because it was open to organised responses and not limited to locals. That survey was taken offline, but several previous surveys show clear support from locals and businesses, although some businesses close to the Centre had opposed its location, culminating in an unsuccessful legal challenge.

And last week the centre’s founding director, Dr Ingrid van Beek was made a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen’s Birthday Honours list for service to public health and community medicine.

Health Minister Carmel Tebbutt has not confirmed a report in The Sydney Morning Herald that an early decision on the Centre would be made before the next election.

by Michael Gormly