National Politics...

Do our politicians operate at times under chemical influences?

Colin Powell addressing the General Assembly

Do you remember Colin Powell, the former US Secretary of State when he addressed the UN Security Council, blowing kisses and smiles to all as he embarked on a phantasy about weapons of mass destruction along with a slide show demonstrating to the world that we were on the brink of biological and nuclear missiles raining down on us from Saddam Hussein's Iraq?

Powell sings a different tune now. But his performance sticks in the memory because it was so abnormal, so bizarre.

Were he playing for the Washington Redskins we'd have asked, "What's he on?"

Drugs and politicians are the elephant in the room.

Growing up in Canberra, our national capital, working as a tyro reporter, and later touring Australia with the pollies of all descriptions I'd say" pissed as a pollie" could well be added to our colorful parlance.

The world has moved on since then, and so has pharmacopoeia.

There are uppers and downers and steroids for people in all walks of life.

Am I imagining it, or do some of our pollies on TV, at times in most distressing or threatening or unnerving situations look normal or stony abnormal in their responses? Some of them never blink.

Are they on something? I'd like to know just as much as about it as regarding my airline pilot or football captain, or athletic champ.

I'd like to know whether they are living in their own drug-induced virtual reality that imagines warheads in Baghdad and terrorists on every corner, and dens of Satanism in outback communities requiring police and military action. Some pollies see spies on every telephone, potential violence in every demonstrator, evil in every trade union leader.

Are they on something? How would we know? How could we find out? What would we detect? What would we look for? If they are should we send in the army and the police, get tough and if necessary remove them or dock their pay? Drug takers are very cunning so an anus examination would not be out of the question from John Howard down.

I think we should know.

I don't think it's sedatives. Perhaps it's steroids or some new medication we know nothing about.

	Senator Bill Heffernan

Senator Bill Heffernan raised the topic, but it was a dead balloon. What do you think?

Here's a report from The Australian:

Heffernan says MPs should be drug tested
24 June 2007

POLITICIANS should undergo random drug testing to set an example to the community, one of the Prime Minister's close confidants has said. Senator Bill Heffernan was inspired to make his call by former addict and junior rugby star Darren Marton, who told his story of redemption at Parliament House on Thursday, Fairfax newspapers said today.

"If it is good enough for us to push footy heroes, what about us?" Senator Heffernan said yesterday.

Marton is leading the No Way anti-drugs campaign in sport, as government ministers lock horns with football executives over their push for a policy of zero tolerance of drugs in sport. Senator Heffernan said he had never seen any evidence of illegal drug-taking in Federal Parliament, but he believed random drug testing of politicians would act as a deterrent and send a message "that we are fair dinkum serious about stamping out drug use".

"It is a pretty simple message," he said. "If we are serious about limiting damage, to kids in particular, then we should lead by example. "We're drug testing our role models and people who have people's lives in their hands like pilots, train drivers, police. It is unacceptable for decision makers to put themselves above the law."

He said that when he raised his idea with the Prime Minister, Mr Howard said if he thought there was a problem he would do something about it. Senator Heffernan believes drug testing should also be extended to courtrooms, with judges and lawyers subjected to workplace testing.

He said they had as much responsibility for people's lives as train drivers and pilots, and many reports had highlighted drug taking in the legal profession. Led by Sports Minister George Brandis and Minister for Ageing Christopher Pyne, the Government wants football codes to adopt a nationally consistent tough anti-drugs policy. It has criticised the AFL's "three strikes" policy, which keeps the first two positive test results secret, but has heaped praise on the NRL's stricter approach, which fines first offenders.

Sydney's Adam Goodes is one of six AFL players who have hit back, challenging the Government to drug test its own and terminate MPs who test positive. Senator Heffernan would not say what he believed a punishment should be for politicians who tested positive to illicit drugs.

As I say, the idea was a lead balloon as The Australian reported:

PM unmoved by proposal to drug test MPs
24 June 2007

PRIME Minister John Howard has declined to endorse or criticise a proposal by Liberal senator Bill Heffernan for MPs to be subjected to random drug testing. Senator Heffernan said politicians should be subjected to the same testing regime for illicit drugs as football players to send a message "that we are fair dinkum about stamping out drug use", Fairfax reported today.

Mr Howard today said the controversial proposal had been made by others in the past. "This has come up before," he told Channel 10. "I mean I think the point Bill's simply making is that if that there's evidence that, you know, there's a problem with politicians then they should be treated no different from anybody else."

Opposition Leader Kevin Rudd said he was not sure what tree the controversial senator was "barking up". Mr Rudd said he was not aware of a widespread drug abuse problem among federal politicians. "If you're asking me, have I heard through the grapevine in Canberra on our side of politics, or for that matter the other side of politics, there's a problem.

No, no I haven't," he told Channel 9. "So I'm not quite sure what tree Bill's barking up at the moment and Bill's barked up a few trees in recent times. "But as I said, politicians shouldn't be treated any differently to anyone else."

Over to you. Are they on something? Should they be tested?

Cliff Baxter is a highly awarded journalist with a lifetime experience gained on the principal Australian secular newspapers, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation and The Catholic Weekly.

We welcome your thoughts in response to this review in our forum.

Cliff Baxter can be contacted at: Cliff Baxter <cliffbaxter@catholica.com.au>

©2007 Clifford Baxter

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