Stereosonic deaths: Call for inquest into deaths at music festival
CALLS are mounting for a coronial inquest to investigate the Stereosonic tragedy amid concern the music festival event that bans media attendance is “awash with drugs”.
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CALLS are mounting for a coronial inquest to investigate the Stereosonic tragedy amid concern the music festival event which bans media attendance is “awash with drugs”.
The atmosphere of secrecy surrounding Stereosonic has intensified concerns sparked by the second drug death in a week, and the hospitalisation of two others from the Adelaide event.
While Attorney-General John Rau declined to intervene, Senator Nick Xenophon said an inquest was needed because of the public importance of knowing how and why he died.
“Any inquest needs to look at the responsibility of the organisers, the role of police and health professionals and also any warnings that should have been given,” Senator Xenophon said.
“It seems that young people are playing a form of chemical Russian roulette at an event that was awash with drugs.”
The promoters, Totem OneLove, ban media and only permit the use of vetted photos by approved photographers. Patrons are banned from taking pictures on cameras, mobile phones or recording devices, ostensibly to prevent breach of copyright laws.
In a statement, the promoters said they were “devastated” and warned patrons at Brisbane Stereosonic not to gamble with their lives.
“There are various highly dangerous substances on the market and there is no way of knowing what is in them,” the statement said.
Legally, the promoters may not be responsible for the welfare of festival goers who break the law. The president-elect of the SA Law Society, David Caruso, said the promoter’s duty of care covered the provision of a safe environment, which included drug checks and having police on hand.
“However the responsibility of the organisers does not extend to someone who purposefully and covertly brings in drugs and takes them, and has this tragic consequence as a result,” Mr Caruso said.
He said their responsibility for issuing a public warning after Mr Woodward’s death on Saturday night was also unclear because to do so may have created public panic.
“In terms of their legal responsibility one would assume that they had taken steps with security and police to determine whether there was a risk that drugs were circulating,” he said.
If there was no obvious risk, an announcement may have caused more harm than good, he said.
While pills varied wildly in strength and purity, on-site pill testing was not a solution, according to the South Australian Network of Drug and Alcohol Services executive officer Michael White.
“There would still be a whole lot of people who, even if offered pill testing, wouldn’t use it because they believed they knew what they were doing,”
Mr White said people usually bought from trusted sources but the drug’s origin was unknown.
“At the beginning of the supply chain, the drugs are produced in unregulated conditions with no controls whatsoever, so even if you’re buying from a person you trust, there is absolutely no guarantee you are getting what you think you are getting,” he said.
After Ms Choi’s death, Totem Onelove admitted they could not stop drugs coming into their festivals.
“The reality is that as much resources we throw at it, we just can’t stop it. ”operations manager Dave Rubin said.
Contributing to the secrecy, the private paramedic company contracted to provide first aid services to the music festival reportedly banned its staff from talking to NSW Police after the death of Sydney pharmacist Sylvia Choi.
“If you are approached by the police (which has happened before) do not make any comment,” an email from Event Medical Services reportedly told more than 55 staff members.
How to make the warnings clear
NEW measures may be introduced at music festivals in a bid to prevent further drug-related deaths as the State Government prepares to examine “lessons learnt” from Saturday’s tragedy at the Stereosonic Music Festival.
These may include mandatory warnings over public address systems about the dangers of illicit drugs at such festivals on days of extreme heat.
Risks from drugs such as ecstasy are elevated in hot conditions. Temperatures during Saturday’s packed festival at Bonython Park reached 40C.
Health Minister Jack Snelling will also consider whether more education about the dangers of drugs at such events is needed and will work with organisers to try to prevent a repeat of the tragedy.
The death of Stefan Woodward, 19, is the sixth drug-related death at music festivals nationally in a little over a year, and two people remain in intensive care at the Royal Adelaide Hospital after the event, out of 22 Stereosonic fans who were treated at the RAH for drug or alcohol issues.
Despite growing calls to trial pill testing at such events so people can see if their illicit drugs contain dangerous impurities, Mr Snelling ruled out such tests, as did Treasurer Tom Koutsantonis and Opposition Leader Steven Marshall.
“I would be very worried about sending mixed signals, even implying that illicit drug taking can be safe would be a very, very bad message to send to young and impressionable people,” Mr Snelling said.
“It is important the message is unambiguous — taking illicit drugs is never safe, it can never be made safe, you really are dicing with death when you take these sorts of substances.”
Mr Snelling said he would be happy to have a look at drug education campaigns to see if there were anything else that could be done to get the message across.
He ruled out banning music festivals in extreme hot weather, saying it would not be practical and law-abiding concertgoers had the right to attend such events.
— Brad Crouch