Pubdate: Tue, 02 Apr 2002
Source: Canberra Times (Australia)
Copyright: 2002 Canberra Times
Contact:  http://www.canberratimes.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/71

PM DRUG ADVISER ON ZERO-TOLERANCE BODY

The Prime Minister's chief drug adviser served as a director for a radical 
zero-tolerance drug foundation that sought money from the Federal 
Government, it was reported last night.

The ABC's Four Corners said Australian National Council of Drugs chairman 
Brian Watters joined the board of the radical Freedom from Drugs Foundation 
in June 2000.

The foundation was based on the ideas of Swedish abstinence organisation 
Hassela, which promotes prison terms for addicts who do not comply with 
treatment.

The ABC said Major Watters, a Salvation Army campaigner hand-picked by 
Prime Minister John Howard to lead the drugs council, personally endorsed 
the foundation's business plan.

The plan said the Federal Government was bound to support the foundation's 
approach and offered to give the Coalition credit for expected successes in 
drug treatment if it was re-elected.

"This may flow through to a political opportunity for the Howard 
Government," the ABC quoted the document as saying.

"In fact, we may be able to interest them in a pre-election pledge to 
devote millions to the cause."

Major Watters told the ABC he was no longer involved with the foundation 
and while he never formally disclosed his directorship to the drugs 
council, he had been open with fellow council members about it.

But several members said he had never mentioned it to them, the ABC 
reported. The ABC said Hassela had not received any federal funding and its 
operations had stalled.
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MAP posted-by: Keith Brilhart