Calls for state government to introduce real-time emergency drug alert system after overdoses

The Allan government says it’s too early to consider a real-time emergency drug alert system ahead of a fresh weekend of music festivals, despite nine people overdosing at a Flemington rave.

The Victorian government says it is too early to consider implementing a real-time emergency drug alert system, despite urgent calls ahead of one of the state’s most notorious music festivals.

After nine revellers overdosed on MDMA at Saturday’s Hardmission Festival at Flemington Racecourse, calls are growing for the government to adopt a real-time alert system ahead of the return of the Rainbow Serpent Festival (now called the Rainbow Spirit Festival) later this month.

When it was last held in 2019 police threatened to ban the event unless organisers could stamp out rampant drug use.

Police slammed the event for brazen drug dealing, seven drug overdoses, two sex assaults and a spate of violent attacks on revellers and on police.

But on Thursday, Major Events Minister Steve Dimopoulos said the Allan government would not commit to any reforms to protect festivalgoers until the “actual facts” were determined by authorities.

“I get people want to rush to solution mode. Let’s just find out what actually happened here,” he said.

“We know what happened in terms of the key stats ... we don’t actually know beyond that, what substances were consumed, how it happened and everything else that it’s impacted.”

Mr Dimopoulos’ message to Victorians considering taking drugs this summer was “just don’t do it”.

“If you’re not reading the news, or seeing what’s going on in relation to the risks of consuming something you don’t know the pedigree of or where it’s come from, leaving aside that it’s illegal ... just don’t do it,” he said.

“Just take some responsibility and enjoy the music festival. “

Meanwhile, Victorian Alcohol & Drug Association chief Chris Christoforou said Victoria was trailing international best practice regarding drug safety.

“Although the Department of Health have systems in place to inform the public of potentially hazardous substances these alerts are issued after the harm has occurred, often from pathology tests taken from people in hospital or morgues,” he said.

“The internationally accepted best practice in progressing real time public alerts is to allow people to test their drugs prior to consumption.”

VAADA chief executive Chris Christoforou said internationally accepted best practice was for people to test their drugs prior to consumption, but alerts would also be beneficial. Picture: Supplied

“In real time, an alert can be issued which describes the appearance of the drug and includes information on the hazards associated with consumption.

“Many people would receive this alert prior to consuming a substance have the opportunity to consider their options.”

Mr Christoforou said he was concerned substances that may have caused the overdoses were still in circulation.

“Many of the people who may be in possession of these substances may not be aware of the associated risks,” he said.

Four people remain in a critical condition while all other patients have now been discharged from hospital, following Saturday’s overdoses.

A Department of Health spokesperson said comprehensive blood screening was being conducted to narrow down the substances involved over the weekend.

“This investigation will inform any drug alert to the community and is being undertaken as quickly as possible,” she said.

Opposition mental health spokeswoman Emma Kealy said the government had shown during Covid it could act quickly to shut down schools.

She said sophisticated geographically zoned text messaging was used during the pandemic and could be used in festival situations.

“The Allan Labor Government must put a real-time emergency drug alert in place ahead of the Rainbow Spirit Festival,” she said.

“There is no point having a drug warning system if you are not going to use it.

“The Allan Government must learn a painful lesson from the disturbing and devastating events of last weekend. There can be no more excuses. Just get it done.

“The Government is now well aware of a batch of illicit drugs in circulation causing overdoses and must be on edge and ready to activate warnings in real time.”

It comes as a partygoer told the Herald Sun that drug use at festivals was rife.

The 18-year-old woman ingested ketamine for the first time at Beyond the Valley, a four-day music festival held in Barunah Plains at the end of December.

The woman said more than half of the revellers at the event were snorting the illicit drug.

“We snuck it into the festival which most people did,” she said.

“I was nervous about getting caught.

“It was in my suitcase and then, as we were in the line, we decided to move it to our bras because they were checking every single part of people’s bags.”

The woman said she bought the ketamine from an acquaintance and tried it before the festival.

“I was a little bit scared about taking it but a few days before the festival, my friends and I tested it,” she said.

“We were at a party and we were like ‘let’s just try a bit of it’ to make sure that if we take it in a festival setting we will be OK.”

The Herald Sun was first made aware of the Hardmission overdoses through a social media post on Sunday morning.

But when this masthead contacted Victoria Police at 9.12am on Sunday, a spokeswoman said there were no records of overdoses at the event.

It is understood the Victorian Racing Club issued a permit for the event to be held.

But a spokesperson refused to answer questions about the permit or whether its terms had been breached.

The Greens, the Animal Justice Party, and Legalise Cannabis Victoria currently have a joint bill before parliament to establish a two-year pill testing trial.

“This batch of drugs is still circulating and people are still at risk. The Victorian Labor Government has the power to help keep young people from harm, and they’re choosing not to,” acting Greens leader Aiv Puglielli said.