NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian softens stance against pill testing at festivals

Gladys Berejiklian says she is open to pill testing at music festivals if the government is shown evidence it would save lives.

Police on patrol at the Field Day music festival held in The Domain, Sydney. Picture: Derrick Krusche

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says she is open to pill testing at music festivals and other major events if the government was shown evidence the policy would save lives.

Ms Berejiklian today appeared to soften her stance on the policy, which has been put forward by several experts after the deaths of four people since September last year.

More than 190 people were charged with drug offences at Field Day, a major music festival on New Year’s Day in Sydney’s Domain, and at least four people were taken to hospital.

“If there was a way in which we could ensure that lives were saved through pill testing we would consider it — but there is no evidence provided to the government on that,” Ms Berejiklian told reporters.

The Premier convened an expert panel into festival safety in September 2018 after two people died at the Defqon.1 event in western Sydney.

New South Wales Premier Gladys Berejiklian. Picture: Dylan Robinson

The panel was banned from examining pill testing but the premier on Wednesday claimed the government gave experts “free rein” when considering how to reduce harm.

The government is implementing all of the expert panel’s recommendations including introducing harsher penalties for festival drug dealers.

Ms Berejiklian today insisted pill testing gave drug users “a false sense of security”.

“I hear what some people are saying but, as a premier, as the leader of NSW, my job is to keep the community safe,” she said.

Detective Chief Inspector Stuart Bell, commander of the Field Day festival operation at which 194 people were arrested, today said the issue of pill testing is “for the government”.

“From our perspective, we encourage people not to take drugs,” he said.

“Ultimately, people need to take responsibility for their own actions.”

“Why are they doing it?” one reporter asked.

“That’s not a question I can answer,” he replied.

“People will use any method they think necessary to get (the drugs) into the venue... If you consume a drug, you don’t know what’s in it and ultimately you could die.”

Two men, aged 19 and 21, and an 18-year-old woman were allegedly found with 120 MDMA capsules between them. They were granted conditional bail to appear in court at later dates.

It follows the death of another person from a suspected drug overdose at a music festival in Victoria, bringing the total number of Australians to die at music festivals to five.

A 20-year-old man died in hospital on Tuesday four days after the Beyond The Valley event in Lardner east of Melbourne.

There were 28,000 people at Field Day festival at Sydney’s Domain yesterday. Police found some carrying illicit substances including MDMA and ketamine. The larger operation, which a police spokeswoman said focused on anti-social behaviour, alcohol-related crime and illegal drug use, was started after the death of 22-year-old Brisbane man Joshua Tam, who died after the Lost Paradise festival on the NSW Central Coast on Saturday night. He was the fifth person to die from a suspected overdose since September last year.

Four people were admitted to Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital directly from Field Day. Two have been discharged today, another woman, a 19-year-old, was unresponsive when she was admitted last night but is now in a stable condition. A man who suffered neck injuries will also be discharged today.

NSW opposition leader Michael Daley said he would consider the policy. “Pill testing should not be off the table. I know the Premier wants it off the table, but that’s not the way to go,” Mr Daley said.

Most of the 190 people charged over the Field Day offences will face court over their alleged actions.

Additional reporting: AAP