Pubdate: Fri, 10 Aug 2001
Source: Age, The (Australia)
Copyright: 2001 The Age Company Ltd
Contact:  http://www.theage.com.au/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/5
Author: Kerry Taylor, And Darren Gray

CRIME CHIEFS AT ODDS ON HEROIN

The Australian Federal Police Commissioner yesterday backed Prime Minister 
John Howard's rejection of a heroin trial, putting two of the nation's top 
crime-fighting agencies at odds over how to tackle the drug problem.

Federal Police Commissioner Mick Keelty yesterday denied law enforcement 
agencies were losing the war against drugs and said a heroin trial would 
only succeed in sending mixed messages to Australian youth.

"We have had some major successes ... in the last 12 months to two years we 
have seized over one-and-a-half tonnes of heroin ... There is a heroin 
drought," he told The Age.

Large seizures, a big decline in heroin overdose deaths and an increasing 
street price for heroin were evidence that the war on drugs was being won, 
he said.

His comments came after the National Crime Authority released a report on 
Wednesday that said the battle against illicit drugs was being lost and 
previously unpalatable options, including a heroin trial, should be considered.

The heroin trial proposal was immediately rejected by the Prime Minister 
but was backed by Labor, the Australian Democrats and the Australian 
Medical Association.

Taking encouragement from the NCA report, the ACT Government yesterday 
vowed to push ahead with a referendum on a heroin trial despite Mr Howard 
warning he would scuttle any such trial.

Federal Government ministers, including Treasurer Peter Costello, yesterday 
backed Mr Howard.

Mr Costello attacked the NCA for suggesting the idea and said it should 
leave policy matters to elected representatives.

Federal Health Minister Michael Wooldridge, who once supported a trial, 
yesterday said he was opposed to the idea "because we have better 
treatments today".

ACT Chief Minister Gary Humphries, who yesterday introduced a bill for the 
heroin trial and injecting room referendum, said he hoped ACT residents' 
views would carry weight with the Federal Government.

Opposition Leader Kim Beazley said Mr Howard should listen to the NCA.

The NCA would not comment yesterday.
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MAP posted-by: Larry Stevens