JUDGE QUITS OVER PAPAL DRUG ORDER

ONE of Victoria's most senior judges has quit as chairman of the Catholic
Church's drugs taskforce in protest at intervention by the Pope.

Justice Frank Vincent wrote to Archbishop George Pell resigning over the
Vatican's order that the church should not be involved in heroin injecting
room trials.

The judge is believed to have told Archbishop Pell he was not prepared to
work within the constraints imposed from Rome.

Justice Vincent is understood to have expressed his concern that the recent
Vatican directive precluded consideration of drug treatment options that
could reduce human suffering.

Known for his progressive and compassionate views, Justice Vincent is in
charge of the Supreme Court criminal division and chairman of the Adult
Parole Board.

He was named head of the Melbourne Archdiocese's drugs taskforce last June.

Members of the taskforce met last night to discuss Justice Vincent's
resignation.

The 13-member taskforce was established by Archbishop Pell to examine
options for dealing with drug abuse.

The archbishop said then, in an editorial in the Catholic journal Kairos,
that the taskforce would "assist the archdiocese in formulating an
effective, practical response to the enormous problem of illicit drug use".

Archbishop Pell has condemned the State Government's plans for trials of
safe injecting facilities and described the idea as misguided compassion.

He said after the Vatican's recent order, which banned any involvement by
the Sisters of Charity in a similar facility in Sydney, that no Catholic
agencies in Melbourne would be involved in such a program.

Archbishop Pell is a member of the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine
of the Faith, which issued the decree ordering the Sydney nuns to withdraw
from the Kings Cross injecting facility.

He could not be contacted yesterday.

Justice Vincent would not comment on his decision but a spokesman confirmed
the judge was no longer part of the church taskforce.

Prime Minister John Howard said late last month he supported the Vatican's
position and would never support injecting rooms.

Premier Steve Bracks, a Catholic, said he understood and accepted the
Vatican's decision but plans for up to five heroin injecting rooms would
proceed.

The government this week named a seven-member advisory committee, headed by
Professor David Penington, to report on strategies to tackle the drug problem.

Archbishop Pell said when announcing the Catholic taskforce that the
calibre of the people willing to serve on it was "a clear indication of
just how important this issue is, not just to the church but to the wider
society".

Taskforce members include former lord mayor Ivan Deveson, Dr Judith Bassant
of the Australian Catholic University, Dr Joe Santamaria, Prof. Greg Whelan
and Mrs Chris Harms from KOKAAS, a support group for parents of drug users.

The taskforce was due to report to Archbishop Pell by the end of this year.