SUMMIT IS ONLY A START, NEW MINISTER SAYS

The Assistant Treasurer, Mr John Della Bosca, played down the role of
the Drug Summit yesterday, adding to fears the Government does not
expect the meeting to solve the drug problem.

In his first parliamentary speech, Mr Della Bosca said the Drug
Summit, to be held next week, would not provide answers "in a neat
package".

"Rather, working through the problems is more likely to deliver
solutions-oriented actions rather than a single policy
prescription".

A former ALP party boss, Mr Della Bosca, 42, was elevated to the front
bench immediately after winning a seat in the Upper House in the March
election. He is considered the most influential minister after the
Premier.

His official title is Assistant Treasurer and Special Minister of
State. Although he is without portfolio, his role is that of a roving
Mr Fixit, who will put the imprimatur of the Government's view in
various policy areas.

He is the third member - with Mr Carr and Mr Egan - of Cabinet's most
powerful group, the Budget Committee.

Mr Della Bosca's comments are in line with Government strategy on the
Drug Summit. He argued for a need to listen to different views and
break out of the two models of thinking in the drug debate: free
heroin, or prohibition.

The responsibility for the problem needed to be spread across the
community, Mr Della Bosca said. "The only way we can play our role as
leaders in the community is to ask people not to look to us, the
politicians, as those who should make the decisions."