Claims made in The Sydney Morning Herald today that members of the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) will not be reappointed because they do not support a zero tolerance approach to drug policy, and furthermore, that those not being reappointed are making way for people who do support such an approach, are wrong.
Any suggestion that members of the ANCD are chosen because they support one particular approach to drug policy runs contrary to the central ethos of the Council. The fact that such claims are baseless is evident from the backgrounds and reputations of the people named in the article.
The ANCD is made up of people who have a wide range of experience and expertise on various aspects of drug policy ranging from treatment and rehabilitation, education, law enforcement, research and work at the coalface in a community organisation.
The Government recognises that in relation to drug policy no one approach has all the answers. A range of approaches, and a variety of different perspectives in the form of advice provided to me and to the Government are required if we are to truly make a difference in tackling the problem of drugs in our community.
The new appointments will add to the range of expertise on the Council. Similarly, those who are not being reappointed have made a valuable contribution to the work of the Council through the range of different perspectives they brought to it.
I appoint the members of the Council, and all current appointments expire this month.
19 March 2001