NSW POLICE MINISTER DEFENDS STANCE ON DRUG REFORM

The New South Wales Police Minister, Michael Costa, has denied
Opposition claims that he is an advocate for further drug reform.

The Opposition has seized on a newspaper article written after the
1999 election in which Mr Costa, as head of the Labor Council,
reportedly suggested decrimalising marijuana and where appropriate,
hard drugs.

Opposition leader Kerry Chikarovski, says the comments are still
relevant today, and are a concern given Mr Costa's new role.

But Mr Costa says Mrs Chikarovski has misunderstood his position.

"I suggested that we have a debate on drug law reform, I suggested
that two or three days after the election.

"I'm very pleased that the Government took up my proposition and we
had the drug summit, everybody regards the drug summit as being one
of the policy successes of the Carr Government and...I'm very proud
of the fact that we had changes to the law following that," Mr Costa
said.