GOVERNMENT STANDS BY DRUG ADVOCATE ADVISER

The Victorian government is defending a youth affairs adviser who ran a
pro-drugs platform as part of a university student election campaign.

David Henderson, 25, is said to have promoted the use of ecstacy and
amphetamines when running in the 1998 Melbourne University student council
elections.

The Minister for Youth Affairs Monica Gould this morning defended Mr
Henderson's appointment as state government youth affairs adviser saying
his comments were an immature mistake for which he had now taken full
responsibility.

"He admitted that he made a mistake. He was young it was four years ago and
I've accepted that explanation and was prepared to give him a chance," she
said.

"It wasn't an appropriate thing to do but young people, make mistakes."

Minister Gould also said the comments were meant to be taken as a joke.

"At the time it was tongue in cheek ... He will be judged on his
performance," she said.

Mr Henderson reportedly pledged in the Melbourne University newspaper
Farrago in 1998: "Being on E (ecstasy) and on Student Council means I can
make sure E is Everywhere."

When asked whether she had taken drugs in her youth Ms Gould responded:

"The only thing I will admit to and I've done is, I drink coca-cola, smoke
cigarettes and I like a glass of wine form time to time, but I have never
taken any illicit drugs ever ... which for my age group sounds a bit odd."

State Attorney-General Rob Hulls also defended the appointment of Mr Henderson.

"We've all done silly things when we were students and I don't think a
person should be

tarnished for the rest of their life as a result," he said.

But the chairman of the Liberal Party's youth vision task force, Andrew
Olexander, is calling on Mr Henderson and the minister for Youth Affairs to
resign.

"Silly is silly, dangerous is dangerous," he told ABC radio. "What he did
was to recommend to one of the largest student bodies in the state they
should take drugs."

Mr Olexander called on the state government to let Mr Henderson speak for
himself rather than through ministers or the government media office.

"If he has indeed changed his ways and had a conversion on the road to the
minister's office, why doesn't the government let him explain?"