ZEALOUS DRUG CHIEF WANTS TO TEST PM

The man heading the Prime Minister's drug offensive, Major Brian
Watters of the Salvation Army, wants all public servants involved with
illicit drug programs to have compulsory blood tests.

And he wants all politicians to take voluntary blood tests - including
the Prime Minister, who appointed him chairman of the Australian
National Council on Drugs.

Pointing to a "significant lobby" of NSW public servants pushing for
liberalisation of illicit drug laws, he said any who tested positive
should be removed from their jobs and forced to undergo
rehabilitation.

"We can't have people in positions of influence who themselves have a
drug problem," Major Watters said.

He said public servants who had a significant say in drug policies and
who were themselves drug users "can be just as dangerous as someone
driving a bus under the influence of alcohol".

He said a number of people involved in the formulation of policies on
illicit drug had "told me privately" they had smoked marijuana.

He was concerned about some drug liberalisation policies being pushed
by public servants, adding: "I wonder if the people who are driving
them have other agendas."

He gave as instances pressure to establish "shooting galleries" in
Sydney where heroin addicts could legally inject, and proposals in NSW
and the ACT for trials of free heroin use among restricted test
groups. He also referred to Victoria and South Australia.

He said compulsory blood tests were common in the United States where
people working in drug programs signed contracts undertaking to stay
drug-free.

He said Australian Salvation Army employees working with drug addicts
had compulsory and random blood tests. He had a voluntary blood test
several years ago. "It was not humiliating," he said.

The Prime Minister's office yesterday refused to comment. The
Communications Minister, Senator Richard Alston, asked: "What
particular drug does he think we're on?"