Pubdate: Wed, 03 Jan 2001 Source: West Australian (Australia) Copyright: 2001 West Australian Newspapers Limited Contact: +61 8 94823830 Website: http://www.thewest.com.au/20010103/ Author: Wendy Pryer TOWN LOSES DRUG TRIAL FIGHT PLANNING Minister Graham Kierath has overruled a local council and will allow a rehabilitation centre for heroin addicts to be set up in Northam. Mr Kierath gave the green light to George O'Neil's naltrexone rehabilitation hostel yesterday despite overwhelming community opposition to the proposal. Local residents feared increased crime and social problems in the town. In his decision, Mr Kierath said the centre was in line with planning rules but because of the community's fears he would only allow it on a temporary trial basis. The hostel will be set up in the nurses quarters"of the old Northam hospital, which is in the centre of town and 200m away from a school. Dr O'Neil's company, Australian Medical Procedures Research Foundation, bought the unused building for $350,000 in March. In August, the Northam Town Council rejected Dr O'Neil's plans for the hospital site after 1283 residents opposed it and only 135 people supported it. Local action group spokesman Peter Morton said Mr Kierath's decision was an outrage and completely ignored the community's concerns. He said elderly residents who lived nearby were afraid and it was believed many more than 18 addicts would be housed there. Mr Morton said an alternative site, 15km out of Northam, had been proposed by the community but appeared to have been ignored. AMPRF administrator Bruce Houston, who had received Mr Kierath's letter approving the centre, said yesterday that the hostel could be operating by March. He said 18 residents and 18 carers would be housed there in the short-term. More residents could be taken in to the main hospital building within the three-year trial period. Mr Houston said those who wanted to attend the hostel had to take their naltrexone tablets and would sign contracts promising not to leave the grounds without permission and a carer. He said the hostel was designed for addicts who did not have the support of family and friends to keep off heroin and was ultimately designed to save lives. Mr Houston said donations and the addicts"unemployment benefits would pay for operations. Under the conditions attached to Mr Kierath's approval, the Northam Town Council can apply after three years to have the hostel closed. A committee of community members must also be set up to monitor the hostels"operations and its impact on local amenities and a management plan must be given to the Northam Town Council. Despite Mr Houston's comments, the main hospital building cannot be used to house addicts.If more addicts require housing than those filling the nursing quarters, an extra application will have to be made to the Planning Minister for permission to allow them into the main hospital building. - --- MAP posted-by: Jay Bergstrom