Two attendees from music festival dead as deadly hot season begins

Drug law reform groups have pleaded for the introduction of pill testing after two men died of suspected overdoses following an outdoor festival in Sydney.

A heavy police presence welcomed Sydney festival-goers. Picture: NCA NewsWire/Jeremy Piper

Drug law reform groups have pleaded for the introduction of pill testing after two men, aged 26 and 21, died of suspected overdoses following the Knockout Outdoor Festival in Sydney.

Police were called to the festival grounds at Sydney Olympic Park just before 1am on Sunday

The 26-year-old was treated by paramedics and at Concord Hospital, where he died.

The 21-year-old was transported from a Chippendale hotel to the hospital in which he died.

No cause of death has been confirmed in either case.

NSW Health earlier this week warned of a high-dose ecstasy tablet known as Gucci that had recently come into circulation containing four times the average dosage of active ingredient MDMA.

On Sunday, Sydney charity Unharm called for the urgent introduction of a pilot program for pill testing at festivals. “What should have been a day of fun and celebration has instead become one of sorrow. These are tragedies that should never have happened,” Unharm spokesperson Sam Kidd said.

The Listen Out Music Festival 2023. Picture: Jordan Munns via NCA NewsWire

“We are calling on the Minns government to immediately implement a drug checking pilot for this summer festival season. Drug checking is a proven, effective step we can take to help ­people stay safe this summer.”

In September, a collective of 20 drug safety advocate groups urged the Minns government to institute pill testing ahead of the Summer festival season.

The police presence at Knockout, and the Listen Out Festival which ran the same day, was markedly from the years prior.

There were more than 70 arrests across both events, with 272 police officers present at Listen Out, alongside four sniffer dogs.

Police were also given authority to strip-search anyone suspected of carrying drugs.

Of the 27,500 Listen Out attendees, 85 were found in possession of drugs. 37 were issued court attendance notices.

From Knockout’s 53,000 attendees, 27 were charged with possession. Twelve people across both festivals were charged with supplying drugs.

There were also two cases of assault, one case of obscene exposure, and one breach of bail.

NSW Health said there were 10 urgent medical transfers to hospital from both festivals.