An expert has issued the stark warning that “tragedies at festivals” are “on the table” this summer as experts and Labor MP’s add mounting pressure on the NSW government to implement pill testing following the state’s drug summit.
Labor MP Dr Michael Holland and Independent Alex Greenwhich are among a group that put forth an open letter to NSW Premier Chris Minns pushing for the practice to be introduced ahead of festival season.
Health Services Union secretary Gerard Hayes, the Uniting Church, Unharm and Labor MP’s Sonia Hornery, Cameron Murphy and Anthony D’Adam have also backed the letter.
The letter claimed “we cannot wait for more reports, reviews and delayed government responses when we know we could be saving lives now”.
Experts have issued a fresh push for pill testing to be implemented in NSW. Picture: NewsWire / Valeriu Campan.
Pill testing was one of the core topics discussed at the drug summit, which was led by former NSW Liberal leader John Brogden and former Labor deputy premier Carmel Tebbutt over four days in November and December.
Mr Greenwich said the time to act “is now” to prevent “another parent losing a child”.
“Summer is already upon us and we know it will be another busy period for festivals,” Mr Greenwich said,
“Harm minimisation is the way forward to prevent young people from dying and from another parent losing a child.
“We know this would be relatively fast and easy to implement- other jurisdictions are doing it, why can’t NSW?”
MP Alex Greenwich said the time to act ‘is now’. Picture: NewsWire / Gaye Gerard
Victoria has already committed to a pill testing trial over the summer following the success of similar trials in ACT and Queensland.
Harm Reduction Australia president Gino Vumbaca on Wednesday urged the government to give pill testing the green light sooner rather than later, claiming the state has “seen enough tragedies”.
“We don’t want to see tragedies, we’ve seen enough tragedies in NSW in particular,” Mr Vumbaca said.
“To sit on your hands and do nothing when someone’s offering you a free service makes no sense.
“The potential for more tragedies at festivals is what’s on the table.”
Labor MP Dr Michael Holland put forth an open letter to NSW Premier Chris Minns pushing for pill testing. Picture: NCA NewsWIRE: Monique Harmer
Harm Reduction Australia president Gino Vumbaca urged the government to green light a pill testing trial. Picture: Supplied.
Mr Vumbaca said he’d put forth a proposition prior to the summit that if pill testing was strongly endorsed across the four days he would put on a trial for free.
“We’ll do it for free, we don’t need money,” Mr Vumbaca said.
He expressed concern that the summer festival season would be over by the time the report was released, questioning why the government wouldn’t go ahead when “we know the exact answer” about whether pill testing would reduce harm already.
“There’s no reason whatsoever not to do it given the strength of the summit,” he said.
“But why wait until the summer is over?”
He said the organisation would need a week or two notice at most to put on a trial.
“We’re ready to go,” he said.
“We’ve upgraded equipment, it just makes no sense to hold back now.
“We just need you to say yes.”
NSW Minister for Health Ryan Park said no decision has been made on pill testing. Picture: NewsWire / Nikki Short
However, NSW Minsiter for Health Ryan Park emphasised no decision had been made on pill testing, doubling down on his vow to wait for the report from Ms Tebbutt and Mr Brogdon before making any decisions despite Dr Holland’s stance.
“MPs are no different to community members. They have different views on a very, very complex area of drug policy,” Mr Park said at a press conference on Wednesday.
“That complexity was acknowledged by a number of speakers at last week’s summit, and what government will do is wait till we get that report from John Brogdon and Carmel Tebbutt.
“We’ll give that consideration, and then we’ll make an announcement if and when in the near future.
“But government has not made a decision in relation to pill testing at the moment.”
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park last week told the summit the report to be produced by Mr Brogden and Ms Tebbutt would not be given any “guard rails”.
“They’ve been given no limitations,” Mr Park said.
“They’ve been given no set agenda. While there are things that we will agree and not agree on — absolutely — that report will be handed to government in a faithful way.
“The government will then, across its portfolios and ministers engage, review and report back, importantly, in a very timely manner.”
Mr Park also said the report will be made public once handed down.