LIBERAL MEMBERS BACK HEROIN TRIAL

THE Victorian Liberal Party's State council yesterday supported a heroin
trial in Victoria, calling on the Federal Government to take "all necessary
steps" to enable the controversial trial to take place.

The motion, raised by the party's Bayside branch, was passed convincingly
by a show of hands at the council meeting.

While the body does not have any policy-making power, it signals that
Premier Jeff Kennett's recent move in national forums to endorse a heroin
trial has broad support within the Victorian branch of the conservative
party. But Prime Minister John Howard has been adamant that no trial will
take place, preferring a "zero tolerance" approach to the problem.

The mover of the motion said the goal of a Victorian trial was to provide
safe heroin to addicts under prescription as one tactic in response to the
heroin crisis. The aim was not to cure addicts of their addiction, but to
take them off the streets, reduce crime and make them contributing members
of society again, he said.

The council meeting also served as an outlet for anger at the State
Government's planning policies among the party's east-suburban
constituency. One motion called for the power of councils to grant
demolition permits to be fully restored, removing that power from private
building surveyors and neighbouring councils.

Another motion urged Attorney-General Jan Wade to remedy the "unacceptable
delays" in the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal's planning list.

Planning Minister Rob Maclellan and Ms Wade were both forced to defend
their policies to the meeting and as a result both motions were defeated
after lengthy debates.