By Eamonn Duff
The Australian drug expert who pioneered the nation's first legal injecting centre has put himself on a collision course with the Baird government and NSW Police by vowing to break the law and roll out pill testing at Sydney's forthcoming music festivals.
President of the Australian Drug Law Reform Foundation, Alex Wodak, has joined forces with emergency medical specialist David Caldicott in announcing a privately funded drug testing "trial" will commence with or without the blessing of a government that has repeatedly blocked the proposal in favour of a hard line, law enforcement strategy.
Despite its strict opposition to pill testing at festivals, Fairfax Media can also reveal that the NSW government has sought a secret briefing on how such a concept might occur, receiving a detailed,18-page research dossier.
"We are going to do this," said Dr Wodak. "Doctors, analysts who know how to operate the [testing] machines and peer interviewers who can translate the scientific results and explain to people why the drug they bought is talcum powder or highly toxic. The idea is to save lives. I am prepared to break the law to save young people's lives."
Controversial proposal: Dr Alex Wodak.Credit: Stefan Postles
Dr Caldicott said: "It's very straight forward. We want to run a trial at a place where everyone is using drugs anyway. "It's time for our politicians and elected representatives to catch up with what the majority of parents want for their children, which is for them to return home safe."
The founder of drug law reform agency Unharm, Will Tregoning, confirmed his discussion paper was forwarded "by request" to the NSW Premier's Department, on February 17.
"It looks at why we should do drug testing, how services operate internationally, the evidence of the effects of those services and it explains the legal context of the operation of a service in NSW. It essentially outlines that without any legislative change we could introduce a pilot service right now."
NSW Premier Mike Baird has refused to be drawn on whether or not he supports the notion of pill testing but the revelation that his own department reached out for policy advice is a clear indication the government is grappling with the dilemma of the life or death issue.
Who is going to take responsibility when somebody uses pill testing equipment and still has an adverse reaction?
Until now, he has deflected the issue to his Police Minister, Troy Grant, who remains adamant that the government's strict policing policy, featuring drug sniffer dogs, will not sway under his watch.
In an opinion piece he wrote for Fairfax Media on Friday, he said: "The recent deaths of seven young people, mostly at music festivals, in NSW and interstate are a tragedy. I have no firm evidence before me that pill testing will save a life. "This government will not fund a scheme."
Unless there is a drastic about-turn in policing policy, a showdown now appears inevitable with a NSW police spokesman stating on Saturday: "We will continue to enforce the law at music festivals."
Dr Wodak is no stranger to controversy. In November 1986, he and a team of colleagues introduced the first needle syringe program. In 1999, he initiated Australia's first medically supervised injecting centre amid a heroin epidemic that had claimed more than a thousand lives that year. The then NSW premier Bob Carr, who sanctioned the project after originally opposing it, has since described it as being among his proudest career achievements.
Mr Wodak said he was now about to step outside of the square again. "I think Troy Grant's comments have made it clear that the government has shut the door on the possibility that pill testing could even be trialled," he said.
"Deaths are recurring at an increasing rate. Although it is clear that the current strategy, largely reliant on sniffer dogs, does not work in terms of reducing drug use or harm ... there is zero willingness by the police minister to even contemplate options. How can this be?"
Dr Wodak confirmed the pill testing trial would be launched without costing taxpayers a cent. While acknowledging the program needed the permission and support of dance party organisers, he said there were already "a number" of events being eyed.
"We would have done the Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras next weekend if there had been more time to set it up," he said, adding: "Stereosonic would be a suitable one. Splendour in the Grass would be another. We want to do a big one. We want to do several big ones."
When asked what he thought the reaction of Mr Baird would be, he said: "I've got a lot of faith in Mike Baird. He's a real human being. He has showed he has compassion."
On Saturday, Mr Baird's office again forwarded inquiries to Mr Grant who reaffirmed that the government "does not support pill testing" because the drugs are "illegal and inherently dangerous".
He added: "We are working on a strategy to reduce harm at music festivals through the promotion of drug-free events with the appropriate police resources to enforce the law."