Pubdate: Sat, 13 Mar 1999
Date: 03/13/1999
Source: West Australian (Australia)
Author: W. M. Bush
Note: William Bush is vice-president of Families and Friends for Drug Law

Reform

IRONY is heaped on irony in the debate about a heroin trial. The most
recent example is the Court Government's complicity in the PM a threat
to override any State that decides to go it alone.

The biggest irony, though, would be the Federal ALP's backing for John
Howard. Kim Beazley said on 6WF that he did not support heroin trials.

The push for heroin trials and safe injecting places is coming not
from the self-proclaimed most socially progressive of the major
parties but from governments led by the same party as Mr Howard's and
Mr Court's - Victoria and the ACT. Indeed, at last Friday's meeting in
Melbourne, Mr Court found strongest support from the Labor States of
Queensland and NSW.

The truth is that the havoc caused by our response to drug use strikes
regardless of social, political and economic backgrounds. The State
Labor Party realises that and has spoken out. So has the WA National
Party. The solid majority support in Victoria and the ACT reported in
last week's polls demonstrates that an informed public is not as
hidebound as some political leaders believe.

W.M. BUSH, vice-president, Families and Friends for Drug Law Reform