THE PRIME MINISTER VOWS TO MAKE THE FIGHT AGAINST DRUGS A PRIORITY THIS TERM

The menace of drugs would probably never be eliminated from Australia, the
Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, said yesterday.

Launching the Youth Off the Streets drug and alcohol program in Sydney, Mr
Howard reconfirmed his Government's commitment to its "tough on drugs"
strategy.

He said that when he spoke after the election of his desire to focus on
non-economic issues as well as management of the economy during his second
term in office, he did not have in mind only things like Aboriginal
reconciliation, important though that was.

He had in mind a broader social agenda that included working with community
organisations to deal with the great social problems of the age.

"One of those is clearly the menace of drugs," he said.

"And I don't say to you I've got any false hopes of total success. Nobody
ever achieves total success but I do have sufficient commitment and hope
and optimism that we can make a difference. But we can only make a
difference if we have the help and cooperation of the community.

"Everybody knows what a tremendous challenge and threat to our very being
as a society that drug abuse represents.

"I did not come here today with any magic solution for the drug problem but
I do come here today as Prime Minister of our country to say that from a
personal point of view, and therefore with the resources of government
behind me, I intend that during our second term, one of the non-economic
issues that we will do our level best to tackle is the drug menace."

Mr Howard congratulated the NSW and Federal Police forces and Customs for
their big heroin bust south of Port Macquarie last week.

"That represents, ladies and gentlemen, the law enforcement part of our
strategy."

The second part of the strategy involved encouraging a zero-tolerance
philosophy in schools, while the third component was rehabilitation work to
be carried out, largely through community organisations. "It's a huge
challenge. It's very easy for a cynical media or a cynical public to take
shots at the inability of law enforcement agencies to catch every
criminal."

Meanwhile, the Australian National Council on Drugs has called for support
for innovative alternatives, outside the criminal justice system, to deal
with drug offenders.

After a conference in Canberra, the council said it applauded the program
to caution and divert first-time offenders in Victoria, and also South
Australia's drug assessment and aid panel.

Checked-by: Joel W. Johnson