NATIONAL MP RUNS INTO HEROIN TRIAL OPPOSITION

A National Party backbencher's attempt to introduce a heroin trial has hit
a brick wall after being opposed by party leader and Deputy Premier Hendy
Cowan.

Dexter Davies, the party's former president, signed an agreement yesterday
with the Democrats' Norm Kelly and Christine Sharp from the Greens (WA) to
support the controlled trial of medically prescribed heroin to long-term
addicts.

The party's lay members voted for the tiral at its annual State conference
in Hyden in August but the decision has no binding force on its nine MPs
because it was considered a moral issue.

And their chance of influencing the coalition Government's anti-trial
policy appeared slim yesterday with five of the party's MPs distancing
themselves from the August decision.

In addition to Mr Cowan, the party's two other Cabinet ministers, Murray
Criddle and Monty House, and MPs Bob Wiese and Hilda Turnbuall rejected the
proposal.

Avon MLA Max Trendorden was in favour, Roe MLA Ross Ainsworth and
South-West MLC Murray Montgomery could not be contacted.

Mr Cowan told the Legislative Assembly he would not support a trial.

"I have no difficulty in informing the House that I opposed that particular
motion and I have no intention of seeking to apply that particular policy
to Government," he said.

Party State director Jamie Kronborg said Mr Cowan was quite within his
rights to dissent from the party line in State Parliament. But he said the
issue was not dead and would be debated further at the party's next State
council meeting on June 11.

"We will be endeavouring to convince all members of the parliamentary party
that this policy is valid and we will be doing our best to convince them it
should be implemented," Mr Kronborg said.

Mr Davies said he believed a heroin trial should be embraced by his
colleagues as a means of taking the drug issue forward.