EXCLUSIVE: A controversial jobs for the girls appointment to the premier government advisory body on drugs has deepened divisions within the Abbott Government.

Former National Party MP Kay Hull who champions an abstinence policy on drugs over harm minimisation is set to be the new head of the Australian National Council on Drugs.

The contentious appointment is due to be made by Ms Hull’s National Party colleague, Assistant Minister for Health Fiona Nash, and is being questioned by current and former government MPs.

One has slammed it as “really a triumph of ideology over what works”.

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Coalition insiders fear the minister may also be about to appoint members to the 18 person council who do not have a track record in evidence based approach to drug policy.

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Senator Nash is still reeling from the resignation of her chief of staff Alaister Furnival, a former food industry lobbyist who was involved in controversy over withdrawing a star rating system for packaged food that was opposed by the industry.

Ms Hull chaired a 2003 parliamentary committee which rejected harm minimisation approaches such as heroin trials and injecting rooms.

Instead, it called for a greater role for rapid detox drug Naltrexone which has been linked to many deaths when drug addicts overdose more easily when they return to using.

media_camera Strong views ... Kay Hull says people can become parked for life on methadone programs. Picture: News Corp. media_camera Not happy ... Fiona Nash has generated controversy over the planned drugs advisory body appointment. Picture: Supplied

Ms Hull yesterday refused to comment on any upcoming government appointments however she confirmed her views on drug policy have not changed in the last decade.

“I have strong views that harm minimisation sometimes precludes the positive option for those affected by drugs to clear their lives of drug taking,” she said.

“There is less emphasis for people who want to be drug free and more on keeping people on drugs,” she told News Corp.

While conceding there was a place for methadone treatment she expressed concerns that many people were “parked on it for the rest of their lives”

Former Liberal MP and doctor Mal Washer said appointing Ms Hull to the job would be “retrogressive”.

“I like Kay, she’s a nice girl but if that’s the way she thinks, this is definitely not the job for her,” he said.

“Abstinence doesn’t work, if she’d had any medical training she’d know it was rubbish,” he said.

Former Parliamentary secretary for health Trish Worth confirmed she had been approached by senior members of the council who wanted to put forward her name to take over as chair.

“I assumed as I didn’t hear back a better qualified person than me was appointed,” she said.

“The thing that matters most is the exceptional quality of the people who are members of the council to provide first class advice to people,” she said.

media_camera It’s working ... John Herron says the nation’s approach to drug policy is highly successful and doesn’t need changing. Picture: Supplied. media_camera Not the job for her ... Mal Washer said appointing Ms Hull to the job would be “retrogressive”.

Former Howard government minister Dr John Herron, who is the current chair of the council and due to retire imminently, says our harm minimisation policies on needle exchanges and methadone have given Australia the lowest incidence of HIV transmitted by injecting drug use in the world.

“I don’t think the direction of (drug policy) should be changed. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it,” he said.

The president of the Australian Drug Law reform Association Dr Alex Wodak said what Kay Hull said in 2003 was “not helpful” and a lot had changed in the last decade.

“The evidence about needle syringe programs has got a lot stronger and I’d be surprised if she’d like to see more HIV in Australia,” he said.

“Methadone programs get crime down and I’d be surprised if she is in favour of more crime or more overdose deaths’ he said.

Assistant Health Minister Fiona Nash is poised to announce the appointment in the next week.

The Australian National Council on Drugs was established by former Prime Minister John Howard in 1998 and until recently reported direct to the Prime Minister who chose all 18 members of the council.

Originally published as Jobs-for-girls row splits government