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Premier, it’s time to put your money where your mouth is and end festivals

PREMIER Gladys Berejiklian needs to put her money where her mouth is and end festivals before more young people die from drug overdoses, writes Miranda Devine.

Acting Assistant Commissioner Allan Sicard on festival death

GOOD on Premier Gladys Berejiklian for declaring her government has “zero tolerance” to drugs after the latest deaths of two young people at a music festival in Penrith Saturday night.

“This is an unsafe event”, she said, “and I will be doing everything I can to make sure it never happens again.”

Now she needs to put her money where her mouth is.

There are five more such events coming up at Homebush, The premier has to make sure they don’t go ahead.

POLICE MINISTER TROY GRANT RESPONDS:

Gladys Berejiklian has declared a “zero tolerance” stance on drugs. Picture: Richard Dobson
Gladys Berejiklian has declared a “zero tolerance” stance on drugs. Picture: Richard Dobson

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The “Defqon. 1” promoters have an appalling record for drug deaths. If they ran a pub or a club they would have been shut down long ago.

On top of the two dead patrons and three more people fighting for their lives in hospital, there were reportedly an additional 700 people who sought medical help with suspected overdoses or bad reactions.

The response from drug liberalisers is pathetically predictable, demanding authorities enact a pill testing regime which is effectively a green light to illegal drugs.

Joseph Pham died at the Defqon. 1 Sydney Music Festival. Picture: Facebook
Joseph Pham died at the Defqon. 1 Sydney Music Festival. Picture: Facebook
Crowds at Defqon 1. Picture: Instagram
Crowds at Defqon 1. Picture: Instagram

They had their opinion pieces ready to roll before the bodies were cold. Talk about ruthless opportunism.

Well, if there are no festivals, there’s no pill testing. End of debate.

The Premier has it within her power to stop these festivals right now.

The promoters need DA approval from the local council to run these events. They can’t get DA approval without “User Pays” police.

No police, no DA.

No DA, no dance party.

Simple. Do it now before another family is devastated. Time for talk is over.

Miranda Devine
Miranda DevineJournalist

Welcome to Miranda Devine's blog, where you can read all her latest columns. Miranda is currently in New York covering current affairs for The Daily Telegraph.

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Original URL: https://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/opinion/premier-its-time-to-put-your-money-where-your-mouth-is-and-end-festivals/news-story/b6aef6ab69cb86a8f8bd5e9de97f1e36