HOWARD DENIES ATTEMPTING TO INFLUENCE INCB

Prime Minister John Howard today denied trying to influence the
International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) in its decision on
supervised injecting rooms.

The Age reported today that Australia's foremost drugs policy adviser
David Penington suggested Mr Howard and his office influenced the INCB
to produce a report attacking the planned trials of supervised heroin
injecting rooms in Australia.

The UN drug experts warned governments yesterday they risked breaking
international law by approving drug injection centres.

"I reject totally Professor David Penington's claim that I or my
office sought to influence the comments about supervised injecting
rooms published in the Annual Report of the International Narcotics
Control Board," Mr Howard said.

"I think it's absurd to suggest that my views would have nobbled the
views of the Narcotics Board.

"My views on this matter are well-known."

Prof Penington, the chairman of Victoria's drug policy expert
committee, said it appeared the INCB's criticisms had been strongly
influenced by Mr Howard but he had no evidence to support his statements.

The comments from the INCB were remarkably consistent with the views
of Mr Howard, Prof Penington said.

Mr Howard said considering Prof Penington had admitted he could not
back up his claims, he should never have made them.

"To suggest that there was any intervention to induce a report in
particular terms was not only false but offensive to the board and to
the government," Mr Howard said.

"He will be well aware that the International Narcotics Control Board
has been consistently opposed to injecting rooms and that therefore
its latest criticism is barely surprising."

The NSW state government late last year approved Australia's first
legalised heroin injecting room trial which is to be run by the
Uniting Church. The Church is still looking at an appropriate location.