CARR TO URGE NATIONAL TRIAL OF DRUG COURTS

The Premier, Mr Carr, will take a seven-point plan to tomorrow's premiers'
conference on drugs, urging the other States to take up a NSW trial on drug
courts and backing Federal Government plans to divert young drug offenders
from the criminal justice system.

He said the Howard Government must fund a national drug treatment and
research program, including the fast-tracking of controversial treatments
such as naltrexone and buprenorphine, which will be the subject of a
500-person trial at Westmead Hospital.

The Prime Minister is expected to put to the premiers a new Federal plan
costing more than $100 million focusing on treatment of addicts and support
for the diversion of illicit drug users away from the courts to treatment
and rehabilitation centres.

He also said the Government was examining speeding approval for
Pharmaceutical Benefits listing of the heroin withdrawal drug naltrexone.

Mr Howard will also propose national protocols for dealing with drug users
in schools and an information campaign for the parents of children with drug
problems.

Queensland, Western Australia and the Northern Territory are also expected
tomorrow to press for the Australian Defence Force to be given a stronger
role in coastal surveillance to counter narcotics trafficking - a move
advocated by the Opposition Leader, Mr Beazley.

The Queensland Premier, Mr Beattie, and the West Australian Premier, Mr
Court, argue for the upgrading of military installations in remote areas
such as the RAAF's Shergar base near Weipa and the Learmonth base near
Exmouth to increase surveillance of traffickers.

Mr Carr has also called for stronger air and sea surveillance to accompany
strengthening of Interpol and other international law enforcement agencies.
But he said the "strongest weapon against drugs is prevention", and urged
the expansion of such programs as NSW's $49 million Families First trial,
where services are targeted at shoring up vulnerable households.

Mr Carr said a national training program was needed to ensure health and
welfare progressionals had expertise in assisting drug-dependent patients
and their families.

He will also tell the premiers that a national case management program is
needed to go beyond treatment for addiction and to provide family support,
financial counselling and help with housing, education, training and jobs.

Mr Carr wants the Federal Government to fund, equally with the States, drug
courts in which non-violent drug offenders are directed to rehabilitation
rather than jail. He also wanted a national youth diversion scheme in which
States and Territories trialled other programs aimed at keeping offenders
out of jail.

The Victorian Premier, Mr Kennett, who is expected to push for more
treatment and direction of small-time drug offenders away from the criminal
system, will call for more research into the causes of drug dependency,
including depression, which he described yesterday as one of the biggest
causes of social problems.

Mr Beattie also called for a national education campaign on drugs similar to
the AIDS campaign of the 1980s.