YOUNG LABOR TO DEBATE HEROIN TRIALS

Queensland Young Labor (QYL) members will this weekend debate the
introduction of heroin trials and ending Australia's role in the war on
terrorism.

More than 140 delegates will attend the annual QYL conference in Brisbane.

Conference organiser Matthew Collins said the heroin trial and war motions
were among dozens to go before the conference.

Mr Collins said other motions included a call for a return to a single
government provider of job vacancy and job search services and more funding
for TAFE.

The conference will debate a number of law and order resolutions, including
a call for 17-year-olds serving custodial sentences to be held in youth
detention centres rather than adult jails.

In the area of electoral reform, conference delegates will debate a motion
calling for compulsory preferential voting.

Queensland currently has a system of optional preferential voting, which
conservative parties believe favours Labor.

The conference will also debate media reform, with a motion calling for a
limit on the number of publications owned by one group and stronger
cross-media ownership laws.

State and federal MPs, including federal Labor deputy leader Jenny Macklin
and Queensland Employment Minister Matt Foley, as well as party
organisation and union figures will address the conference.

Delegates will also elect a new QYL state executive.