HEROIN: PM TO MEET FBI

The Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, wants to meet the head of the FBI,
Judge Louis Freeh, above, as he prepares a defence of his opposition to
heroin trials.

He has also asked Australian diplomats in Britain and Europe to gather
details on overseas drug programs to bolster his argument that heroin
trials are not successful.

His meeting with Judge Freeh will take place in Australia within two weeks,
sources close to the Prime Minister revealed. It is understood the FBI
director is to visit both Australia and New Zealand to discuss security and
anti-terrorist arrangements for next year's Sydney Olympics.

Mr Howard is impressed with US ``zero tolerance'' law-enforcement policies
and believes Judge Freeh can prove the approach has reduced heroin
trafficking and consumption.

Mr Howard's ``tough on drugs'' policy and his rejection of heroin trials
has been widely criticised as the number of drug overdoses and deaths in
Australia has increased.

But he made it clear during his visit to New Zealand at the weekend that he
is determined to pursue the policy and that it needed more time before it
could be judged properly.

The sources said he did not believe he was isolated, was convinced most
Australians shared his view, and was buoyed by news in the Sunday Age that
the Opposition leader, Mr Kim Beazley, was also opposed to heroin trials.

Mr Howard won firm backing today from the New Zealand Prime Minister, Mrs
Jenny Shipley, who said she had had ``a valuable opportunity'' to discuss
drug strategies with Mr Howard, and that she agreed it was important to get
tough on drugs.

``He didn't need to persuade me,'' Mrs Shipley said. ``I am not one who
favors decriminalisation or going soft on this issue. I can't for the life
of me see that by being permissive you actually assist anyone.''

Mrs Shipley said the discussion had focused on the three planks of the
tough on drugs policy Australia had embraced - law enforcement, education
and treatment.

The Federal Government is to announce within weeks the recipients of
millions of dollars in grants for drug detoxification and rehabilitation
programs. Mr Howard also said at the weekend he would make further
statements soon on his reasons for opposing heroin trials.

It emerged today from sources close to Mr Howard that Australian diplomats
in Britain, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands had been asked to
gather evidence on heroin trials in those countries for use by the Prime
Minister in his explanations.

Mr Howard flew to the capital, Wellington, this afternoon. He will meet the
New Zealand Cabinet and the Leader of the Opposition, Ms Helen Clark,
tomorrow before returning to Australia. The trans-Tasman talks have focused
on ways Australia and New Zealand can increase trade with the US and Latin
American countries, although no specific proposals emerged.

The Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett, said he would continue to push for a national
heroin trial despite the Primer Minister's strong objections. He would try
to lead a national meeting of health ministers and state and federal
leaders after the March New South Wales state election to tackle the issue,
he said.