BRACKS TO SET UP DRUG ADVISORY BODY

The Victorian Government will set up a highlevel advisory committee on
drugs prevention following today's historic joint sitting of parliament
on the drug issue.

Government sources said former police commissioner Neil Comrie, who
called for the joint sitting and is among eight speakers who will
address parliament today, will be asked to serve on the committee.

Leaders from both sides of politics welcomed the joint sitting as a
chance to form a bipartisan approach to the drugs issue. The government
hopes the committee will capitalise on any goodwill to come out of the
session.

But prominent Liberal MP Phil Honeywood said politicians were "all
talked out on drugs". He said that instead of talkfests, MPs should go
on camps with children at drugs risk and attend weekly sessions for drug
users to familiarise themselves with the issue.

"I think the wider community would prefer to see their elected
representatives being genuinely exposed to drug users, youth camps and
drug counselling sessions before coming back and trying to achieve some
bipartisan approach," he said.

Premier Steve Bracks yesterday nominated prevention of drug abuse as a
key issue requiring more effort. "On prevention, we are making progress,
but we need the whole of the community and the whole of government
behind us," he said. "And I think that's probably the outcome we can
expect from tomorrow."

The joint sitting, to be held in the Legislative Assembly, will begin at
3pm with addresses by Mr Comrie and Dr David Penington.

They will be followed by six speakers: VicHealth chief executive Dr Rob
Moodie, Turning Point director Professor Margaret Hamilton, Archbishop
George Pell, Salvation Army Major David Brunt, Heather Hill Secondary
College principal Andy Hamilton and youth worker Peter Wearne.

Opposition leader Dr Denis Napthine observed: "I would urge the
government, in a bipartisan way, to develop a positive action plan,
particularly with regard to educating young people to stop them taking
up drugs."

Mr Honeywood said most politicians were remote from the drugs issue and
out of touch with the concerns of young people.

He said politicians should spend time with addicts and the people
affected by them to gain a deeper understanding of the drug problem.
"Only then should they come to the table with genuine bipartisan ideas,"
he said.

"Until we have every MP genuinely exposed to how their particular
community feels, and have young people tell them what should be done, we
will become increasingly prone to topdown (drugs) programs."