Fiona Patten’s controversial illicit drugs bill goes to parliament

Reason Party Leader Fiona Patten says her push to decriminalise all illicit drugs in Victoria “isn’t radical”, with claims it won’t increase substance abuse in society.

Reason Party Leader Fiona Patten says Victoria needs to stop treating drug use as a criminal problem and treat it as a health problem.

Fronting the media on Wednesday ahead of introducing a Bill into the Victorian parliament to decriminalise all illicit drugs, Ms Patten said the Bill would “finally treat drug use as a health issue” instead of a criminal issue.

“Instead of being given a criminal conviction or being taken to court or being arrested, you will be will be given a treatment or education notice by the police,” Ms Patten said.

Fiona Patten from the Reason Party, held a doorstop press conference at Parliament House. Picture: David Crosling

“We know that the majority of people who use drugs actually don’t have a problem with them but this could provide that crucial early intervention. This could provide a change to someone’s life if they were going down a trajectory that was going to aid them in trouble with drugs.

“So this is sensible. This is reasonable. This is not radical. This is what other countries are doing. And the evidence tells us that we should be doing it in Victoria.”

The proposed Bill would be similar to international drug decriminalisation models, including Portugal, where a drug user may be sent to a drug rehabilitation facility or given community service.

Ms Patten’s drug policy reform would see the regulation of cannabis and the expansion of medically supervised safe injecting centres.

It would also allow for pill testing trials to take place at Victorian live music events and legalise e-cigarettes and vapes as recognised nicotine replacement therapy.

Pill testing stand at the Rainbow Serpent Festival.

“If we look at other measures that we have pushed through this house - like safe access zones, supervised injection room, voluntary assisted dying - we started from a position where no one wanted to support it to a position where everyone’s supporting it,” Ms Patten said.

“We will see more and more people coming out supporting this really important change. I think it will be hard for both parties to ignore that and it will be very difficult for them to ignore the calls from the community for change.”

Bayden, who has suffered with drug addiction for 20 years, said criminal justice intervention only fuelled his drug use, causing trauma and resentment.

“My drug addiction was like having a broken leg, breaking my leg and the criminal justice system came along and broke my arm to try and teach me not to break my leg,” he said.

Bayden, who now works in the alcohol and drug sector, said he believes drug treatment worked better than criminal intervention.

“If I thought that the criminal justice system helped people with drug addiction, I would have looked for work in that area, but it definitely doesn’t,” he said.

Not-for-profit addiction, mental health and legal services hub First Step has also thrown their support behind the drug reform policy.

A man injects drugs into his leg in a thoroughfare alley just behind Victoria Street, Richmond and only a few hundred meters from the Safe Injecting Room. Picture: Jason Edwards

First Step CEO Patrick Lawrence labelled the war on drugs as the “world’s greatest public policy failure”.

“This Bill will not increase the amount of drugs in society but will increase access to treatment and will increase the chance of new beginnings,” Mr Lawrence said.

“The greatest impact of our current drug wars is not on the recreational user, it’s actually on the most vulnerable people in our community.

“Empower police to direct people to treatment, to support and to education instead of arresting. That’s actually all we’re asking for.”

It is expected the Bill will be debated in the Upper House in the coming weeks.

Originally published as Fiona Patten’s controversial illicit drugs bill goes to parliament