Pubdate: Thu, 04 Jan 2001
Source: Mercury, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 News Limited
Contact:  93 Macquarie Street, Hobart, Tasmania 7000 Australia
Fax: (03) 62 300 711
Website: http://www.themercury.com.au/
Author: Jane Lovibond

NEEDLE NASTIES STIR HEALTH WAR

HOBART publicans George and Jenniter Elliott have declared war on the 
Hobart needle exchange service and the Department of Health and Human 
Services.

The pair say they have cleaned up needles, syringes and associated 
drug-taking paraphernalia from the Market Place car park behind their 
waterfront hotel for the last time.

They warn their next collection of "nasties" will be dumped on Health 
Minister Judy Jackson's desk.

They say the car park is a mecca for drug addicts who dump their 
equipment when and where it is used.

The Elliotts' three-year-old granddaughter Brittany sucked the 
contents of a syringe early last month while playing in the car park 
and has had tests for HIV-AIDS and hepatitis. The family faces an 
agonising wait until June for results.

"We have had enough of this," Mr Elliott said last night.

"It's got well beyond a joke. It's littered with needles and syringes 
every day."

"We made a fuss with Brittany but nothing has changed. It is still 
left to us to clean the place up. No one wants to know about it."

He said he understood the car park was privately owned used by Royal 
Hobart Hospital staff.

His hotel patrons were not permitted to use it but because children 
sometimes played there he felt a duty to try to ensure it was safe.

Mr Elliott said clients of the needle exchange should have to return 
their used needles before getting clean ones.

"They are supposed to dispose of their dirty ones properly or take 
them back, but obviously they don't," he said.

"I'll take them back and dump them on the managers desk or the minister's.

"Maybe we'll have to do something drastic like that to get the place 
cleaned up."

Mr Elliott said be was required by law to ensure any needles found in 
his hotel were disposed of properly and immediately.

"I am responsible for my property so whoever is in charge of this 
place should do likewise," he said.

The Mercury was unable to contact representatives of the needle 
exchange or the Link Youth Health Service.
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