STATE IMPROVES BUT STILL BELOW PAR: REPORT

Victorians pay an average of $10.50 each a year to tackle drug and alcohol
abuse problems, according to a report to be released today.

An assessment from 220 experts surveyed for the report, Drugs, Money and
Governments, shows that despite "a very positive year", Victoria's
performance in most areas was ranked below par.

The Alcohol and Other Drugs Council of Australia report criticised
governments for failing to plough back into programs a significant
proportion of the $7.3billion a year collected through drug and alcohol taxes.

"Victoria has significantly improved its performance in most areas,
according to the alcohol and other drugs field, being elevated from fourth
place to third this year" the report said. "It produced the largest increase
in expenditure, doubling its commitment through the Turning the Tide strategy."

But when asked to rank states and territories on their approach to drug
problems, experts were dissatisfied with the performance of all but Western
Australia and the Northern Territory.

In 1997-98, the Victorian Government collected $693million - an average of
$148 a person - from alcohol and tobacco taxes. It spent less than a tenth
of that amount, $49million, on drug treatment and prevention programs.