cannabisnews.com: Prime Minister to Meet FBI!





Prime Minister to Meet FBI!
Posted by FoM on February 21, 1999 at 11:13:14 PT

The Prime Minister, Mr John Howard, wants to meet the head of the FBI, Judge Louis Freeh, above, as he prepares a defence of his opposition to heroin trials.
He has also asked Australian diplomats in Britain and Europe to gather details on overseas drug programs to bolster his argument that heroin trials are not successful.His meeting with Judge Freeh will take place in Australia within two weeks, sources close to the Prime Minister revealed. It is understood the FBI director is to visit both Australia and New Zealand to discuss security and anti-terrorist arrangements for next year's Sydney Olympics. Mr Howard is impressed with US ``zero tolerance'' law-enforcement policies and believes Judge Freeh can prove the approach has reduced heroin trafficking and consumption. Mr Howard's ``tough on drugs'' policy and his rejection of heroin trials has been widely criticised as the number of drug overdoses and deaths in Australia has increased. But he made it clear during his visit to New Zealand at the weekend that he is determined to pursue the policy and that it needed more time before it could be judged properly. The sources said he did not believe he was isolated, was convinced most Australians shared his view, and was buoyed by news in the Sunday Age that the Opposition leader, Mr Kim Beazley, was also opposed to heroin trials. Mr Howard won firm backing today from the New Zealand Prime Minister, Mrs Jenny Shipley, who said she had had ``a valuable opportunity'' to discuss drug strategies with Mr Howard, and that she agreed it was important to get tough on drugs. ``He didn't need to persuade me,'' Mrs Shipley said. ``I am not one who favors decriminalisation or going soft on this issue. I can't for the life of me see that by being permissive you actually assist anyone.'' Mrs Shipley said the discussion had focused on the three planks of the tough on drugs policy Australia had embraced - law enforcement, education and treatment. The Federal Government is to announce within weeks the recipients of millions of dollars in grants for drug detoxification and rehabilitation programs. Mr Howard also said at the weekend he would make further statements soon on his reasons for opposing heroin trials. It emerged today from sources close to Mr Howard that Australian diplomats in Britain, Sweden, Switzerland and the Netherlands had been asked to gather evidence on heroin trials in those countries for use by the Prime Minister in his explanations. Mr Howard flew to the capital, Wellington, this afternoon. He will meet the New Zealand Cabinet and the Leader of the Opposition, Ms Helen Clark, tomorrow before returning to Australia. The trans-Tasman talks have focused on ways Australia and New Zealand can increase trade with the US and Latin American countries, although no specific proposals emerged. The Premier, Mr Jeff Kennett, said he would continue to push for a national heroin trial despite the Primer Minister's strong objections. He would try to lead a national meeting of health ministers and state and federal leaders after the March New South Wales state election to tackle the issue, he said.
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Comment #2 posted by Stacy Walker on May 19, 2001 at 14:07:44 PT:
Debating
Perhaps you should go to www.theage.com.au, where articles are grouped by topic. The Sydney Morning Herald has a similar website. Between them you should find reasons why John Howard and the Vatican oppose both safe injecting rooms and heroin trials. Commonwealth Debating Competition should pick more balanced topics, but at least there is ground to argue on. And if you happen to be from Wauchope, seeya soon!
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Comment #1 posted by Laura Sanders on April 12, 2001 at 20:37:21 PT:
heroin trials
Look, I was just wondering if someone could help me out hereI'm researching a debate topic - 'that heroin trials are the answer to the drug problem' - and I need information about the heroin trial and people's views about the topic. Any relevant information or sites that anyone has, please email them to me ASAP. It would be greatly appreciated.Laura Sanders
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