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.