Bill Shorten ‘can’t rule out’ drug taking as a university student
As debate surrounding pill testing heats up, Opposition leader Bill Shorten has revealed he “might have” taken illegal drugs during his university years. It comes after a Greens MP’s explosive revelation about her own drug use.
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Opposition leader Bill Shorten says he can’t rule out having taken illegal drugs in his university years as debate around pill testing heats up.
The Labor leader said pill testing was “not an easy question” to solve today as he was quizzed about his own drug use following the explosive revelation of NSW Greens MP Cate Faehrmann that she had occasionally taken ecstasy or MDMA since her 20s.
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Ms Faehrmann made the disclosure in an opinion piece in the Sydney Morning Herald, saying young people wanted politicians to “get real” about illegal drugs and to accept evidence that treating illegal drugs as a health issue, not a criminal one, worked.
Asked today whether he had ever taken drugs, Mr Shorten said: “I can’t rule out in my university years, I might have done something.”
He added that he didn’t condone drug use and had become more serious about it since becoming a parent.
“I would make it very clear, I don’t support taking illegal drugs,” he said. This Greens MP’s comments go to the heart of the matter — not what I did at university 30 years ago.”
Mr Shorten added testing was an issue but added: “The easiest way to avoid the problem is just don’t consume them.”
Prime Minister Scott Morrison simply said he had never taken illegal drugs when asked today.
Originally published as Bill Shorten ‘can’t rule out’ drug taking as a university student
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