New schools chief defends drug past

MORRIS Iemma's rocky start to his new term as Premier continued yesterday with an outcry over the appointment of Michael Coutts-Trotter - a former heroin addict who spent three years in jail in the 1980s for drug crimes - to the state's most senior education position.

MORRIS Iemma's rocky start to his new term as Premier continued yesterday with an outcry over the appointment of Michael Coutts-Trotter - a former heroin addict who spent three years in jail in the 1980s for drug crimes - to the state's most senior education position.

Just a day after admitting he erred last week in offering a cabinet position to Paul Gibson, who has been accused of domestic violence, Mr Iemma was facing a fresh crisis yesterday as questions were raised about Mr Coutts-Trotter's drug past, his inexperience in the field of education, and whether his appointment was "just another job for another Labor mate".

A heroin addict during the 1980s, Mr Coutts-Trotter served almost three years in jail after being convicted of conspiracy to import narcotics as a 19-year-old in 1984.

As director-general of the Department of Education, Mr Coutts-Trotter will be responsible for overseeing the direction of the education system in NSW.

He is married to federal Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek, whom he met in 1990 when they were both students at the University of Technology, Sydney.

The NSW Teachers Federation said it was disappointed that Mr Coutts-Trotter had no background in education.

Federation president Maree O'Halloran said it was unlikely a teacher with Mr Coutts-Trotter's history would be allowed to continue teaching.

Mr Coutts-Trotter said yesterday his past mistakes had made him more determined to succeed, and that he would not have taken on the role if he did not believe he was capable of handling it.

"I'm not a classroom teacher but I do have the experience to help classroom teachers do their job for students and for parents," he said.

Mr Coutts-Trotter said he would draw on experience obtained as the director-general for the Department of Commerce, and that he had also worked as chief of staff to former state treasurer Michael Egan.

But NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell said the appointment of Mr Coutts-Trotter again highlighted Mr Iemma's poor judgment.

"I believe when you're talking about running a portfolio that spends almost $10 billion of taxpayers' funds, the first prerequisite should be to have an educational background," he said.

Mr O'Farrell said the Government should reveal how many public servants had serious criminal backgrounds.

A spokeswoman for Mr Iemma said the Premier knew of Mr Coutts-Trotter's criminal past before his appointment, but was also aware of his impressive work history since.

Mr Coutts-Trotter said he believed everyone had the right to turn their life around.

"To a degree, we all make mistakes in life ... but you can't carry it around like a ball and chain forever."