Media release

New Council sets its sights on bipartisanship and tobacco

The newly appointed Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) recently held its first meeting in Canberra.

In an effort to promote a bipartisan approach to drug policy issues the ANCD held private discussions with both the Prime Minister and the Hon Trish Worth (Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health & Ageing), as well as Ms Julia Gillard, Shadow Health Minister.

The Chairman of the ANCD, Major Brian Watters, described each of these meetings as “Very important and informative. The basic message we are trying to send to all political parties is that drug use affects people from all strata in our society and that policy needs to be apolitical. It is essential for all of us to be aware that when we discuss these issues we are talking about people enduring great pain and suffering, including the families and loved ones of drug users. We all want to see this pain reduced and the ANCD is aware of its responsibility to work with all political parties and other stakeholders to achieve such a result.”

Major Watters added “the previous ANCD membership wrote to the Prime Minister supporting the introduction of graphic warning labels on cigarette packets and I am pleased to report that this new ANCD membership has also agreed to strongly support the introduction of these labels. Each year tobacco smoking kills more than 19,000 people and is responsible for over 142,000 hospital admissions. This is a terrible drain on the health system of this country. We also know that the children of smokers are more likely to become smokers themselves and have an increased susceptibility to become users of other drugs. Anything that can be done to help prevent people from starting or continuing to smoke tobacco should be implemented.”

In noting that this is the 3rd term of membership for the ANCD, Major Watters acknowledged the work of all previous members over the past 6 years. He also welcomed new members A/Prof Ted Wilkes, Prof Richard Mattick, Magistrate Jeff Linden and Principal Wendy Teasdale-Smith on to the ANCD.

Information on the ANCD’s Terms of Reference and Membership is available at www.ancd.org.au

14 April 2004

The ANCD is the principal advisory body to Government on drug and alcohol issues.

For further information, please contact:

Major Brian Watters (Chairman)
0400 780 509

Mr Gino Vumbaca (Executive Officer)
0408 244 552

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