Needle exchange: ACT Government pushes on with plan for jail program

The ACT Opposition has failed to convince the Government to abandon its plan to implement a needle-exchange program in Canberra's jail.

The Government plans to introduce a needle and syringe exchange program to stop the spread of blood-borne viruses among drug users at the jail.

The Liberals moved a motion in the Legislative Assembly calling on the Government to abandon the policy.

It failed to attract any support from Labor or the Greens, and was defeated.

Prison staff have vigorously opposed the plan, citing concerns over safety at the Alexander Maconochie Centre.

Liberals spokesman Andrew Wall said the Government was failing to consider the views of jail staff.

"They are the ones that have an intimate knowledge of how the prison environment works," he said.

"They are all too aware that a blood-filled syringe would most likely become the weapon of choice, and the staff would be be almost powerless in combating these incidents."

Corrections Minister Shane Rattenbury said he remained committed to implementing the needle-exchange program.

He said the Liberals should consider the facts and the health of the prison population.

"Detainees in Australian prisons experience among the highest prevalence of hepatitis C virus infection in the world, and extremely high rates of hepatitis C transmission," he said.