‘Tragic issue’: Two more deaths added to festival drugs inquest
Two more festival-goers who died after taking MDMA have been added to a major inquest examining the deadly illegal drug scourge at dance parties in NSW.
Two more festival-goers who died after taking MDMA have been added to a major inquest examining the deadly illegal drug scourge at dance parties in NSW.
The deaths of Anne Nguyen, 23, who died at the Dragon Dreaming Festival in 2015 and Nathan Tran, 18, who died at the Knockout Circuz festival in 2017 brings the total number of fatalities to be examined to seven.
Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame said the major inquiry had become a matter of urgency after two more festival-goers died at the Rabbits Eats Lettuce party in Queensland over the Easter long weekend.
MORE NEWS:
Hotel, 300 homes planned for Sydney golf course
New stadium buzz can gets fans back to footy
Parents spend 1.4b hours a year driving kids around
A man, 24, and a woman, 22, were found dead in their tent on Sunday at the festival held at Cherrabah Resort at Elbow Valley in Queensland. The cause of their deaths is still being determined.
“I think the events in Queensland at the weekend just underline how important it is to have this matter dealt with as soon as possible,” Ms Grahame said.
“This is a really, really tragic public health issue and if we can find out ways to prevent it we need to do that as soon as possible.”
Ms Nguyen, who went by the name Anneke Vo on social media accounts was found unresponsive and not breathing at the dance festival held at Wee Jasper, near Yass on October 25, 2015.
A separate inquest had been planned to be held into her death but it was rescinded.
After her death her sister called for tougher monitoring of drug use at festivals.
Mr Tran died after consuming MDMA at the Knockout Circuz festival at Homebush on December 16, 2017. Mr Tran tripped over revellers who were sitting on the ground and hit his head.
Counsel assisting the Deputy Coroner Dr Peggy Dwyer said numerous experts had been contacted to provide evidence at the inquest with many demonstrating, “they are willing and very enthusiastic” to participate.
That included Dr David Caldicott who was the advising doctor at the Groovin the Moo festival at Canberra last year where a pill-testing trial was conducted.
Other experts to give evidence will be Dr Hester Wilson, Chair of the Royal Australian College of Practitioners addiction medicine network and Will Tregoning the CEO of Unharm a group that wants to make recreational drug use, “positive, ethical and safe.”
Pharmacologists and toxicologists will also give evidence.
Dr Dwyer said the inquest would focus on, “what is best practice for harm minimisation at music festivals.”
The coroner will also examine the deaths of Diana Nguyen, Joseph Nguyen Binh Pham, Callum Brosnan, Joshua Gerard Tam and Alexandra Ross-King at NSW festivals between September last year and January.
All five festival-goers took the illegal drug MDMA or ecstasy but the quantity of the drugs they consumed and the purity of the substance were different in each case.
One young man only took one pill and died while another man swallowed six to nine over the course of a day.
Diana Nguyen, 21 and Joseph Nguyen Binh Pham, 23 both died after taking MDMA at the Defqon. 1 music festival at Penrith, in Sydney’s outer west on September 15, last year.
In December last year Josh Tam, 22 of Brisbane died after consuming MDMA and alcohol at the Lost Paradise music festival near Gosford north of Sydney. Callum Bosnan, 19, also died in December a day after taking MDMA at the Knockout Games of Destiny dance festival at Sydney Olympic Park.
The last death to be examined will be that of Alex Ross-King, 19, of the Central Coast who died on January 12 after taking MDMA at the FOMO music festival at Parramatta, in Western Sydney.
The mother of Ms Ross-King attended the directions hearing accompanied by a male companion and two young men.
It is expected the families of the deceased, NSW Health, NSW Police and the organisers of each of the music festivals will have legal representation at the inquest.
It is anticipated various interest groups will give evidence on harm-minimisation strategies for dance festivals including controversial pill-testing.
The inquest is set to run for two weeks from July 8 to 19 but there is the possibility it will take longer.
NSW v Feds: Blame game brews over banned Blayney gold mine
State and federal Labor governments are embroiled in a heated blame game over who is responsible for the controversial decision to stall a gold mine in regional NSW.
‘Pedophile hellscape’: Child sex offenders’ computer games ban
Sex offenders on the Child Protection Register will be prohibited from playing online games during their reporting period, or face five years in jail.