NEWS: Major Watters replacement on the ANCD

[johnboy]

The appointment of Dr John Herron as chairman of the Australian National Council on Drugs (ANCD) has been welcomed by the Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Health and Ageing, Christopher Pyne.

Mr Pyne, who has health portfolio responsibility for drugs as well as mental health and suicide prevention, said Dr Herron would provide leadership for the council at a time when a new push was needed to be made to reduce the harm caused by alcohol and 'recreational' drugs.

"Dr Herron is a worthy replacement for Major Brian Watters who led the ANCD from its inception in March 1998 until April last year," Mr Pyne said.

"The council is a key body in providing informed and impartial advice to the government on reducing the harm caused by these drugs.

"Dr Herron's broad experience, starting with his medical background, equips him to provide strong and sensitive leadership, encompassing the many aspects of this complex issue.

"Although the government's Tough on Drugs Strategy has reduced the overall use of illicit drugs, we cannot be complacent. There is growing evidence of links between illicit drugs, especially cannabis, and mental illness.

"Through the council, the government will be looking for further avenues to reduce the number of young people using these drugs, and to help those who have made the mistake of doing so."

Mr Pyne said the government provided funding in last year's Budget to extend the National Illicit Drugs Campaign, as well as ongoing funding for 170 non-government drug treatment programs around Australia. A further $8 million was allocated for special drug and alcohol programs for Indigenous communities.

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/m...2006-cp-pyn009.htm?OpenDocument&yr=2006&mth=2

Blah blah blah. So who is he? He was until recently the Ambassador to Ireland and the Holy See. So chances are he is another god-botherer. Quelle supris. Here is his bio from DFAT.

Dr Herron entered Federal Parliament in 1990 and served as Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs (1996-01). He was also Chairman of the Senate Community Affairs Committee and Parliamentary Secretary to the Shadow Minister for Health (1994-96).

Dr Herron has also served as President of the Queensland Liberal Party (1980-83 and 2001-02). He was Queensland Branch President of the Australian Medical Association (1989) and served as Queensland Chairman of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons and the Australian Association of Surgeons.

Educated at the University of Queensland, Dr Herron holds a Bachelor of Medicine and a Bachelor of Surgery. After Registrar training at Royal Brisbane and Princess Alexandra Hospitals, Dr Herron obtained his Edinburgh and London Surgical Fellowships.

He was appointed Research Fellow to the Queensland Melanoma Project at Princess Alexandra Hospital and became a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons. He was senior surgeon at the Mater Hospital prior to entering the Senate.

http://www.dfat.gov.au/homs/va.html

Some interesting things have turned up in a quick google. Check out this 730 report story from a few years back when a young back bencher named Christopher Pyne disagrees with Dr Herron's definition of the Stolen Generation. I agree with Christopher here. Who woulda thought I'd say that? I bet Chrissy is happy to tow the party line now, though.

Dr Herron also threatened to sue the creators of "John Herron's Stolen Children Game," a web based game that was briefly notorious in 2001.

I'll try and dig up some more about Dr Herron, as I'm sure we are going to be hearing a lot more from him in the months to come.

 

[phase_dancer]

From the JB's ABC link

When Aboriginal Affairs Minister John Herron signed off on the Government's submission to the Senate's Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee he called into question the term "stolen generation".

There wasn't one, he said.

His reasoning?

There simply weren't enough children taken to warrant that word 'generation'.

I can only imagine how this man will view recreational drug use. Perhaps he'll agree with the statement Bracks made at COAG that I've already posted once today. Can anyone tell that I find this a most amusing statement?

"I think we need to get out of our language this notion of recreational drugs - there's no such thing"

Just that one line was great; Chris Pyne disagreeing with Howard, who'd have ever thought....

 

[hoptis]

Shift on drugs in the wind

The new head of Australia's drug advisory group has left the door open to a possible softening of the Federal Government's tough drugs policy in the wake of recent criticism.

Dr John Herron, the new chairman of the Australian National Council on Drugs, today defended the tough approach, but signalled he was open to review.

The policy has been accused of failing to significantly reduce drug markets or confront related mental health issues.

Melbourne MX, Tue 7 Mar 2006. Page 5.

 

[aunty establishment]

Let me be the first to make a "Dr. Heroin" joke about him, before he's even done anything.

Also, the manufacturers of Panadol must be *pissed* - free advertising for the competition.

OK, that's all I have on his surname.