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. - --- MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager