NEWS: News.com.au - 14/09/2005 'PM's air crew fail drug test'

[hoptis]

PM's air crew fail drug test
From: By Nick Butterly and Ian McPhedran
September 14, 2005

THREE elite RAAF aircrew responsible for flying the Queen, the Prime Minister and other dignitaries around the country have been busted for drug use and a fourth sacked for refusing a drug test.

One of the four is reportedly a pilot. Three have been kicked out of the RAAF and the future of the fourth hangs by a thread.

All belonged to the RAAF's Canberra-based 34 VIP Squadron, charged with flying the Government's luxurious executive jet fleet around the country and overseas.

As well as the Queen and Prime Minister John Howard, the VIP fleet of two Boeing 737s and three smaller Canadair jets carry Governor-General Michael Jeffery, visiting heads of state, ministers, opposition MPs, military chiefs and government bosses.

Defence has kept the identities of those involved secret, saying only that a junior officer and two junior non-commissioned officers were involved and the drugs used were recreational.

According to well-placed sources, military police were tipped off about drug use in the VIP squadron earlier this year but the RAAF had to wait until testing legislation was in place.

"On June 27, members of No.34 Squadron were subject to routine testing for prohibited substances," a sparse defence statement said.

"Three members returned positive results. All three were issued with termination notices."

The notices give them 28 days to say why they should not be sacked.

The RAAF member who refused the test left immediately.

One member chose not to respond to the notice and resigned, two others did respond, with one asked to leave. The fate of the fourth is yet to be decided.

The ADF runs an extensive random drug-testing program, carrying out about 5000 tests a year on its 52,000 personnel in Australia and overseas.

It was the first time members of No.34 Squadron had been subject to Defence Department drug testing.

However members of the squadron have been in hot water before.

During a trip to a Pacific leaders summit in the Cook Islands the crew shunned huts and flew their jet to five-star digs in Tahiti for the weekend.

During another Pacific leaders summit on the tiny island of Tarawa in Kiribati, a drunken RAAF No.34 Squadron pilot abused a British official at a restaurant.

The offending pilot was at the controls of the RAAF VIP plane early the next day.

From News.com.au/Daily Telegraph

VIP wing pilots crash out over drugs
By Brendan Nicholson
Defence Correspondent
September 14, 2005

TWO members of the Royal Australian Air Force's VIP squadron, which carries the Prime Minister and other dignitaries, have been forced out for using drugs.

Another person, reportedly a pilot, has resigned rather than take a drug test. A fourth is facing dismissal.

The Australian Defence Force said last night there was no evidence that those involved were under the influence of drugs or alcohol during flying or maintenance operations.

The squadron has flown senior members of the Government, the Governor-General and visiting heads of state, including the Queen.

An ADF spokesman said three members of 34 Squadron, one junior officer and two junior non-commissioned officers, tested positive for prohibited substances in June.

Each was issued with a "termination notice", giving them 28 days to provide reasons why they should not be sacked.

One of the three resigned on August 20 and the service of another was terminated late last week.

"Administrative action remains ongoing in the case of the third member," the spokesman said.

He said the positive results came in the force's first round of tests under its random drug checks program.

Senior officers in the squadron were tested and none returned a positive result.

The spokesman would not identify the recreational drug involved.

He said because of privacy considerations he could not give any information that would identify those involved.

"The testing regime and the action taken is another reminder that the zero-tolerance drug policy will be strictly enforced within the ADF," the spokesman said.

From The Age

 

[Witch Doctor]

loosing a pilot, ouch thats a big investment down the drain.

 

[charlesbronson]

In other news:

The War on Drugs took a disappointing turn early today, as three high-level RAAF personnel fell victim to an attack by Drugs, and are thus no longer fit to serve. The fate of a fourth crewman in critical condition remains to be decided.

When questioned, the Prime Minister maintained that he is winning the War on Drugs, while his cabinet ministers, pausing for air between king-tokes on the parliament methpipe, verbally reinforced the Party stance.

On a more serious note:

As well as the Queen and Prime Minister John Howard, the VIP fleet of two Boeing 737s and three smaller Canadair jets carry Governor-General Michael Jeffery, visiting heads of state, ministers, opposition MPs, military chiefs and government bosses.

sometimes it would be fantastic if recreational drug use actually did have a detrimental effect on workplace performance....