Tuesday, 2 November, 2004
Turner offers Mallard briefing on drug education in schools
United Future's Judy Turner has offered Education Minister Trevor Mallard a briefing on a schools drug education
handbook after he said in Parliament today that he didn't know if the phrase 'harm minimisation' had been removed from
it.
"I'm sure the Minister would agree that it would be a very fine thing if he did know what approach to drug education was
being taken in schools under his watch, and I'm more than happy to bring him up to speed," Mrs Turner said.
Last week, she revealed that the term 'harm minimisation' had been dumped from the final version of the book in a huge
blow to the pro-drug propaganda of the Greens, who had originally pushed for the handbook.
The term featured in early drafts of Strengthening Drug Education in School Communities, which Mrs Turner said again
today remained too ambivalent on drug use.
"The draft document actually stated that harm minimisation, and not drug avoidance, is the primary goal of drug
education. Incredibly, it even sought to avoid promoting abstinence in case it 'stigmatises experimentation with drugs
as deviant behaviour'.
"I would have to say that having an Education Minister on top of the issue would be a definite plus for our young
people," she said.
ENDS