PM BRINGS FORWARD $270M IN DRUG GRANTS

The first instalment of $270 million in grants to fund community-based drug
treatment programs will be available within weeks, the Federal Government
pledged yesterday.

The Federal Minister for Health, Dr Michael Wooldridge, said he was
instructed by the Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, to usher in the grants
after talks on Saturday.

The announcement came as leading Australian doctors directly opposed Mr
Howard and backed calls for a national heroin trial.

The Australian Medical Association's national president, Dr David Brand,
said such a trial could provide scientific evidence on managing heroin
addiction.

Dr Wooldridge, who backed a 1997 plan by the Australian Capital Territory
Chief Minister, Mrs Kate Carnell, to introduce heroin trials - but now
stands by the Prime Minister, yesterday flagged the possibility that further
funding for community-based drug programs would be made available to the
states after the next Premiers' conference later this year.

He said it was the first time the Commonwealth had provided direct funding
for drug treatment facilities. ``Normally this has just been a state
responsibility,'' he said.

There was an enormous gap in funding of local treatment and rehabilitation
facilities but the Federal Government was ``going to fund community
organisations who'd run the treatment themselves''.

``It's part of the Prime Minister's total package on drugs and we're
spending nearly $270 million over the next four years,'' he said.

The Federal Government first announced its ``Tough on Drugs'' strategy in
November 1997, which was further developed during last year's election
campaign.

But the federal Liberal MP and former AMA president, Dr Brendan Nelson,
stated in the Sydney Sun-Herald yesterday that Mr Howard and others opposed
to an official heroin trial must overcome their revulsion at the prospect.

``Sometimes we must put aside our feelings, even revulsion, to consider
measures that may produce a better outcome,'' Dr Nelson said.

Dr Brand urged the Federal Government to consider heroin trials as part of a
comprehensive strategy to fight the heroin scourge.

``The Federal Government's financial commitment to the Tough on Drugs
program is an excellent start, but the best results will come from a
comprehensive approach which combines action on several levels,'' Dr Brand
said.

``We should be prepared to look at innovative ways of dealing with the
problem, including scientific studies, such as the proposed ACT heroin
trial.

``The trial is designed to find out if the lives of addicts who have not
responded to other forms of treatment and rehabilitation, such as methadone
programs, can be improved through the controlled supply of heroin.''

Meanwhile, the Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett's, track record on supporting heroin
trials was challenged yesterday when Dr Wooldridge said he was trying to
rewrite history by claiming he had supported Ms Carnell's plan to introduce
a heroin trial two years ago.

``Jeff Kennett didn't support a heroin trial in 1997. He's rewriting
history,'' Dr Wooldridge told Channel 7's Face to Face program.

``(Kate Carnell) came out this week and said very clearly that Jeff Kennett
and the other premiers all lacked backbone at the time. I don't quite
understand why he's trying to rewrite history ... the fact is he is just
wrong,'' he said.