Labor under fire over approval of pill testing in Queensland

Labor has come under fire for being “soft on drugs” as Health Minister Yvette D’Ath ­declared she was proud of the state government’s new pill testing regimen.

Labor has come under fire for being “soft on drugs” as Health Minister Yvette D’Ath ­declared she was proud of the state government’s new pill testing regimen – insisting it would minimise harm.

The government unveiled the drug testing initiative on Saturday, days after it moved to relax drug laws for those busted with small quantities of heroin, ice, and cocaine.

But the testing regimen has been slammed by the LNP, while anti-drug crusader Tony Wood has also argued pill testing will not stop young people dying from drugs.

Mr Wood lost his daughter Anna after she took ecstasy at a Sydney rave party in 1995 – the former Gold Coast schoolgirl was 15.

“You talk about pill testing catching the bad batch of pills but there’s no such thing as a bad batch of pills,” he said. “They’re all bad.”

He said the government’s move to introduce testing would only add extra layers to the problem, not solve it.

Joshua Tam

Julie Tam, mother of Brisbane’s Joshua Tam, who died after taking pills at a festival, was emotional at the news pill testing would be rolled out in Queensland.

Her 22-year-old son died after taking a toxic mix of MDMA and vodka on a sweltering summer day at the Lost and Found music festival in 2018. Ms Tam said pill testing would save lives and allow young people to be better ­informed about what they were putting into their bodies.

“There’s now going to be parents out there that will not have to know our pain and the loss we feel every day,” she said.

In the face of Opposition criticism, Ms D’Ath insisted there was no evidence pill checking had led to an increase in drug usage as she accused the LNP of playing “pure politics”.

“I’m very proud that we’re doing this,” she said.

“We have to use every tool that we can and we also need to look at evidence and where initiatives work.

“That’s what we’re doing here. It’s evidence-based ­policy.”

Health Minister Yvette D'Ath on Saturday. Picture: Richard Walker

LNP health spokeswoman Ros Bates lashed the decision on social media – accusing the government of being “soft on drugs”.

Deputy LNP leader Jarrod Bleijie also insisted his party would not support the ­initiative, saying it would send the “wrong message”.

“There is no safe way to take drugs,” Mr Bleijie said.

A Labor source has suggested the move is also about ­appealing to younger voters because of the threat the Greens posed at the next election.

The government was quick to point out LNP MPs Sam O’Connor and Christian Rowan had previously indicated pill testing should be considered.

“I think a trial should be considered for Schoolies and festivals,” Mr O’Connor wrote in a 2019 Facebook post.

Queensland Mental Health Commissioner Ivan Frkovic backed the pill testing reforms, saying it would prevent serious harm and save lives.