NO EXEMPTIONS FROM ARMY DRUG TESTS

The Army says random drug testing at Townsville's Lavarack Barracks in
Queensland will be carried out from the highest ranks down. The spot checks
are already being done in Darwin and will be introduced in Townsville
within weeks.

About 20 soldiers from the Third Brigade are facing dismissal after drug
raids yesterday by military and civilian police.

Brigade commander Brigadier David Morrison says no-one will be exempt from
drug testing.

"From the very top, if you like," he said. "If you're going to have a
random system it's got to apply equitably to everyone.

"I go back to the point I made about trust being the foundation on which we
perform our skills and our duty, so it'll apply to everyone."

Brigadier Morrison says random testing will not eliminate the problem but
it will be a deterrent.

"I don't think we'll eradicate it but I do think that this will be a major
step forward in getting the message through to a very small group of
soldiers, who simply aren't listening, that we've got a zero tolerance," he
said.