Pubdate: Wed, 21 Mar 2001
Source: Australian, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 News Limited {YEAR}
Contact:  Box 339 GPO Adelaide, SA 5001
Fax: (08) 8206-3688
Website: http://www.theaustralian.com.au/
Author: John Kerin

DRUGS BODY REJECTS HARDLINER TAG

The new members of the country's leading drugs advisory body last night 
rejected suggestions they would take a "zero tolerance" approach to drugs. 
Despite reports that the Prime Minister had gutted the Australian National 
Council on Drugs and replaced advocates of "new treatment" with hardliners, 
at least four of the six new appointees favour either a "harm minimisation" 
strategy or a balanced approach to the drug fight.

However, dumped families' representative Tony Trimingham and the federal 
Opposition continued to criticise the changes last night, saying the body 
was dominated by proponents of zero tolerance.

Mr Howard formally announced the replacements yesterday. They include: 
University of Queensland Professor of Alcohol and Drug Studies John 
Saunders; executive director of Odyssey House, David Crosbie; executive 
director of We Help Ourselves, Garth Popple; Anne Bressington of the South 
Australian Drugbeat project; and manager of the Alice Springs-based Drug 
and Alcohol Services Association, Nick Gill.

New parent representative Julie Hanbury, of the West Australian-based 
Parent Drug Information Service, was also described as favouring a balanced 
approach.

Mr Crosbie, the former outspoken executive director of the Alcohol and 
Other Drugs Council, objected to the "zero-tolerance tag" last night. He 
said he had locked horns with council head, the Salvation Army's Brian 
Watters, on many occasions over new treatment approaches.

"I think it is time we dropped these (unhelpful) zero tolerance versus harm 
minimisation labels altogether," Mr Crosbie said.

"I don't care whether the PM is zero tolerance or harm minimisation, so 
long as the money is spent in a balanced way," he said.

Professor Saunders also rejected the "zero-tolerance" tag.

"I wouldn't describe myself as zero tolerance. While abstinence is a noble 
goal, we have to be realistic.

"I expect the council will continue to have robust debate about alternative 
approaches and continue to provide advice and support on new approaches," 
he said.

Garth Popple could not be contacted by The Australian yesterday but a 
source close to the drug administrator said he was "distressed" at being 
labelled "zero tolerance". "Garth's concern is that the cause of harm 
minimisation has been harmed," he said.

One of Australia's most respected researchers and the head of the National 
Drug and Alcohol Research Centre at the University of NSW, Wayne Hall, said 
yesterday his resignation was because of work pressure and he had no 
problem with the new appointees.
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