Pill-testing 'would send wrong message', LNP convention hears

Queensland needs to urgently introduce pill testing to save young people from dying at music festivals, opposition MPs have pleaded.

Member for Condamine Pat Weir, who has previously opened up about his son's struggles with ice, threw his support behind a resolution in support of pill testing at the LNP state convention on Friday.

Senior pill-testing chemist Mal Mcleod deomstrates how a pill might be tested with the equipment they have at Groovin' the Moo in April.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos

The resolution, which narrowly failed, called on a future LNP state government to review harm-minimisation strategies, including pill testing, to counter drug-related deaths.

It comes as a coronial inquest is examining the deaths of six people at New South Wales festivals, including Brisbane 22-year-old Brisbane rugby player Josh Tam.

Mr Weir said pill testing would not stop people overdosing but it would provide an opportunity to engage with users.

"The unfortunate thing that we're seeing at these concerts and people that are taking these pills is, by and large, they're not habitual drug users, they're taking these pills as a one-off and that has proved fatal," he said.

"As a parent, nobody should ever have to bury a child.

"When I was going through that bad period of my life, that was something I lived in fear of every day."

But LNP deputy leader Tim Mander said pill testing sent the wrong message to young people.

"It says firstly, that we are surrendering in the war on drugs," he said.

"Drugs are illegal for a reason - they are dangerous, they can kill, and they do kill.

"It gives a false sense of security to our young people.

"I strongly support education - what we have to do is convince our young people that taking drugs is not the way to have a great time at concerts."

Federal member for Dawson George Christensen, who said a close family member was an addict, argued pill testing would be essentially telling people "thumbs up, it's all right to take this illegal drug".

"I know this is just a review, but it's a sneaky way to get pill testing on the agenda and as LNP policy and it's something I can't support," he said.

Mr Christensen said education and targeting dealers would be a better option.

"The Singaporean model of a few lashes on the buttocks sounds good to me for these people," he said.

However, Member for Moggill Christian Rowan, an addiction medicine specialist, said harm minimisation strategies introduced in the past by governments had become accepted, including needle and methadone programs, and injecting rooms.

"All of those over time have come to be accepted and have achieved some real outcomes of engaging people who need support," he said.

Dr Rowan said harm minimisation should also focus on prescription drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Acting president Dave Hutchinson asked for a show of hands from voting members, who seemed almost evenly split, three times before declaring the resolution had failed.

The LNP state convention is being held from Friday to Sunday in Brisbane, with rank-and-file members to debate and vote on more than 100 resolutions.

Resolutions are submitted by party units, such as the Young LNP, SECs and LNP Women, for debate and voting.

The state convention helps set party policy, as resolutions that pass are referred to the parliamentary team for consideration as future government policy.

Labor Health Minister Steven Miles has previously stated the government would monitor trials in the ACT before making a decision on pill testing.