Needle Exchange Redfern The Australian 2004

John Stapleton

THE NSW government has met with almost universal opposition to its proposals for a needle exchange and drug service opposite Redfern Station in inner-Sydney, the scene of major riots last year. The proposed multi-million dollar seven day a week service is to be set up in a building next door to where young children are living.

Shopkeepers, residents and aboriginal groups report significant drops in crime since major busts last July, when 250 police coated the increasingly derelict area and closed down many major drug dealers. Locals fear crime will once again escalate as the needle exchange creates a ``honeypot'' affect.

Residents and community groups have until this Friday to lodge their potests against the development application.

The service is designed to replace the area's controversial ``needle bus'', which has serviced addicts since the 1980s. At a hurriedly organised meeting last weekend angry locals, some of whom face seeing their homes drop in value by an estimated $200,000, condemned the centre.

Chief Executive of the Aboriginal Medical Service Dr Naomi Mayers said it was disgusting to place a needle exchange next door to a young family. She said there had been significant improvements in Redfern over the past 12 months and the provision of free needles would drive the area back 20 years. ``They are encouraging drugs back,'' she said. ``The situation has vastly improved, and they are going to bring it back all over again. They don't learn from history. I am livid. We have told them straight: we don't want it.''

Project Officer at the Aboriginal Housing Company Peter Valilis, said they had worked hard with the police and the Department of Housing to evict drug dealers from the Block and it had been transformed as a result. He said the bag snatching, assaults and blatant drug dealing which had been such an embarrassment to the aboriginal community had almost disappeared. ``This would undo all the good work we have done,'' he said. ``This will attract drug addicts into the aboriginal community from all over Sydney. This is not an amenity that has been requested by anyone. It is not required and not wanted.''

Craig Kentall, who lives next door to the proposed centre with his wife Mell and two daughters, said hundreds of people with serious mental health and drug issues would be attracted literally to his doorstep. ``You cannot build a brothel next door to where children live, so how can you build a needle exchange next to young children? In conjunction with the aboriginal community, a lot of good has been done in minimising the drug problem and associated crime since the Redfern riots.''

Health Minister Morris Iemma said he was aware of the level of opposition to the needle exchange and its placement near young families, but could not turn his back on his public health obligation to provide clean needles for injecting drug users.