Tuesday 1 January 2008

Who Supports a Heroin Trial?

I am interested in keeping a list of who supports a heroin trial. It should become an issue soon as medical experts, welfare specialists and scientists are now able to submit research back into the drug policy debate. 
This list is compiled from publicly available information on the internet and from emails asking the question. Some people may have changed their mind but they are on record claiming their support for or against a trial.
NOTE: There are many, many people against a trial so don't take my small list of those against as a cross spectrum of numbers. It is small simply because I am focusing on those who support a trial and if I get a response against a trial, I put their name up. If I see a clear statement from someone, I will put that up as well.



SUPPORT
  • *Phillip Adams:  Journalist - The Australian / Announcer - Radio National / Author
  • *Andrew Bartlett:  Senator(Dem)
  • Peter Beattie:  Qld. Premier(ALP) (Former)
  • Kim Beazley:  National ALP Leader(ALP) (Former)
  • Bob Brown:  Federal Greens Leader
  • John Brumby:  Vic. Premier(ALP)
  • David Brunt:  Director - Salvation Army Drug and Rehabilitation Services Vic.
  • Kate Carnell:  A.C.T. Chief Minister(Lib) (Former)
  • Neil Comrie:  Vic. Police Commissioner (Former)
  • Rev Tim Costello:  Director - Melbourne Urban Mission Unit Baptist Church
  • Nicholas Cowdery QC:  N.S.W. Director of Public Prosecutions 
  • Gary Crooke:  National Crime Assoc. Chairman (Former) 
  • Ivan Deveson:  Melbourne Lord Mayor (Former)
  • Geoff Gallop:  W.A. Premier(ALP) (Former)
  • Nick Greiner:  N.S.W. Premier(Lib) (Former)
  • Rev. Gregor Henderson: National General Secretary - Uniting Church
  • Gary Humphries:  A.C.T. Chief Minister(Lib) (Former)
  • Mal Hyde:  S.A. Police Commissioner (Former)
  • John Johnston:  Tas. Police Commissioner (Former)
  • Alan Jones:  Radio/TV Personality
  • Jeff Kennett:  Vic. Premier(Lib) (Former)
  • *Christian Kerr:  Political Journalist - Crikey
  • Rob Knowles:  Vic. Health Minister(ALP) (Former)
  • Prof. Richard Larkins:  President - Royal Australasian College of Physicians
  • Meg Lees: Federal Democrats Leader (Former)
  • *Dr. Andrew Leigh:  Economist - Australian National University, Blogger - Andrew Leigh
  • Dr Jane Lomax-Smith:  Adelaide Lord Mayor (Former)
  • Clare Martin:  N.T. Chief Minister(ALP) (Former)
  • Michael Moore:  A.C.T. Health Minister(Lib) (Former)
  • Judith Moylan:  Minister For Family Services/The Status Of Women(Lib) (Former)
  • Dr. Brendan Nelson:  AMA President (Former) / Federal Liberal Leader
  • John Olsen:  S.A. Premier(ALP) (Former)
  • Mick Palmer:  Federal Police Commissioner (Former)
  • Prof. David Pennington:  Chairman of Victorian Premier's Drug Advisory Council (Former)
  • Kerryn Phelps:  AMA President (Former)
  • *John Quiggin:  Aust. Research Council Federation Fellow - University of Qld., Blogger - John Quiggin
  • Bishop Richard Randerson: Bishop - Anglican Diocese of Canberra & Goulburn (Former)
  • Peter Reith:  Minister For Workplace Relations(Lib) (Former)
  • Peter Ryan:  N.S.W. Police Commissioner (Former)
  • Frank Sartor:  Sydney Lord Mayor (Former)
  • Jon Stanhope:  A.C.T. Chief Minister(ALP)
  • Tony Trimingham:  CEO Family Drug Support
  • Dr Alex Wodak:  St Vincent's Hospital - Director, Alcohol & Drug Service
  • Justice James Wood:  Royal Commissioner
  • Michael Wooldrige:  Federal Minister for Health(Lib) (Former)
AGAINST
  • Piers Ackerman:  Journalist - Daily Telegraph
  • *Andrew Bolt:  Blogger - HeraldSun
  • John Howard:  Prime Minister of Australia (Former)
  • Brian Watters:  Director - SE Region - Salvation Army N.S.W. (Former)
  • Michael Wooldrige:  Federal Minister for Health(Lib) (Former)
*Replied to survey email or direct response




FEEDBACK

'The evidence is already in that such approaches are foolish, and have wider ramifications than are usually considered in "evidence based" trials - especially trials by researchers with a predisposition to distribute heroin rather than minimise its use.'
--Andrew Bolt Response to email

'While ever this government is in office and while ever I am Prime Minister of this country, there will be no heroin trial.'
--John Howard

'In Switzerland, after a three-year trial, 71 per cent of voters in a national referendum in 1997 supported retention of prescription heroin as a treatment option. Why would the usually conservative Swiss support heroin prescription so overwhelmingly if this had not significantly benefited the community?'
--Dr. David Morawetz (Clinical Psychologist)

'I think the idea is definitely a promising one. I would be happy to support it so long as it was done in a randomised controlled trial framework – ie. with a treatment and a control group, so we could compare the impacts.'
--Dr. Andrew Leigh (Economist in the Research School of Social Sciences at the Australian National University) Response to email

6 comments:

Jeremy said...

Sorry, can you give links for Kennett and Jones supporting a trial?

I'm particularly surprised by Jones, given his rabid attacks on the Greens and in favour of Family First, whose main beef with the Greens is the drug thing.

Terry Wright said...

Jeremy, what are you doing coming to my site? ... trying to give me credibility?

I must admit, I do visit your sites regularly and BoltWatch has spawned a national sport.

I wrote about AJ in a posting here. AJ was the reason I turned this issue into a quest as I always thought he was just a nasty conservative. He was originally in staunch opposition to it and was seen as an influence on Howard. I was as shocked as you.
Kennett, was one of the original supporters. At one stage, Jeff offered up Victoria as a host along side the ACT. Read about it here.

BTW, do you support a heroin trial? (Trial being the operative word. If a 'trial' shows that it is not beneficial for Australia then the program for prescription heroin gets canned.)

phallacy said...

I was also surprised to see the Caterwauling Catamite is a supporter.
Otherwise, I would only say compare the lists for pro & con.
'Nuff sed.

Anonymous said...

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http://www.facebook.com/pages/Keep-the-Kings-Cross-injecting-center-open-It-saves-lives/315392998789?ref=ts

Terry Wright said...

Thanks for the link

Here it is again:
Support MSIC - On Facebook

brett said...

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