GUIDING SOCIETY WITH A CLEAR CONSCIENCE

I AM more than a little surprised at the almost hysterical reaction from
some quarters against my suggestion that a drug-free status should be a
requirement for employment in the public sector.

The suggestion came out of concern expressed by the NSW Minister for Common
by Services Faye Lo Po' in responding to the statistics of more than 70
deaths of children of drug addicted parents in three years. Mrs Lo Po'
recommended that the children of such parents should be kept from then,
until they prove by testing that they are drug free.

I heartily endorse that proposal, provided that the parents be given
treatment and help to become drug free. It is not that these are essentially
bad people or bad parents, rather it is that people in active addiction
cannot be responsible for their actions and do not make the rational
decisions that caring for a child requires.

I believe that such a policy of personal responsibility could and should be
extended to those making poiicy and decisions that affect a much larger
"family". It is not a radical proposal and it is not unreasonable for the
community to expect that people to whom we give positions of authority and
far reaching decision making should not have their judgment and rational
thought affected by drug use.

We already have those requirements in place for some public servants,
notably the police. Drivers of public transport are also expected to be drug
free so why not the drivers of policy? The building trades have given a
positive lead in Australia with the enforcement of a strict policy of
alcohol free workplaces.

Australia’s national drug policy is to move the nation towards the ideal of
a society free of illicit drugs. I believe the vast majority of Australians
support that ideal. The Federal Government’s Tough on Drugs strategy is
directed towards that end and $500 million is being injected into a
comprehensive strategy of primary prevention: media campaigns; expanded
treatment services; supply reduction initiatives from which we have seen
dramatic increases in drug seizures by the federal police and Customs; and
policies to reduce the harm drug users might do to themselves.

I am constantly challenged by people, that if the overwhelming desire of
Australians is to rid themselves of the scourge of illicit drugs, then why
is it in some of our States we see policies being implemented that seem to
accept drug use as inevitable or even normal and to facilitate their use.

How can this "push forward" in drug policies, be so much at variance with
the national will and even with what would seem to be a commonsense response
to the problem?

A case in point is some of the legistation emanating from the NSW Drug
Summit. At that summit, we saw what I considered to be pro-drug policies
driven through to acceptance. The result is some of the most liberal drug
laws in the world.

While the Council of Australian Governments’ (COAG) agreement on diversion
is spending $200 million on a policy to direct young people and early
offenders into a system of early counselling and treatment, at the same time
we are seeing State policy directing funds into a legal injecting facility
and children being allowed to carry quantities of drugs that would cause
their elders to be prosecuted.

I am not accusing anybody of being an illicit drug user.

But I am saying that it is reasonable and desirable for those directing drug
policy to demonstrate their commitment to the desires and ideals of the
overwhelming majority of Australians. Part of that commitment could be in
their declared and demonstrated drug-free status. It, in fact, should be a
requirement of the employment contract.

I did not propose that politicians be subjected to compulsory drug testing.
I have too much respect for the position they hold and for the personal
integrity of so many that I work with.

But I did say in response to the question regarding politicians, that I know
numbers of them State and Federal, who are committed to the effort to rid
Australia of this scourge and would be pleased to demonstrate that
commitment by the confirmation of their own drug free status.