LNP casts doubt over future of pill testing at schoolies

Queensland Health Minister Tim Nicholls has questioned the cost and effectiveness of free pill testing at schoolies week on the Gold Coast, casting doubt on its retention at next year’s festivities.

The LNP went into last month’s state election vowing to scrap the program, but softened its stance days after taking power.

On Sunday, Nicholls said just 27 tests had been conducted up to 5pm on Friday.

Pill testing has been offered at schoolies on the Gold Coast for the first time this year, but it could be the last.Credit: Nathan Richter

“[The program is] supposed to be about harm reduction – 27 pills out of, what, 40,000 kids turning up at schoolies? The numbers don’t tell you that it’s actually being taken up,” he said.

Health Minister Tim Nicholls says pill testing is “not a panacea”.Credit: Matt Dennien

The tests are being delivered through a $215,000 contract with CheQpoint. Nicholls said that amounted to $8000 a test.

“We’re going to make an assessment: Is it a value-for-money program? Is it actually delivering results?” he said.

Labor opposition frontbencher Shannon Fentiman, who served as health minister in the Miles government, said the program’s cost should not be the government’s main motivating factor.

“I don’t know how you put a price on saving people’s lives,” she said.

Fentiman said the health advice in favour of pill testing was clear.

“The AMA, doctors, health experts have all called on the LNP to not scrap pill testing because it saves lives,” she said.

“It is so irresponsible for the new LNP government to disregard the advice from health experts and cut pill testing.”

Nicholls said the testing was “not a panacea”, and there were some concerns about how the program had been run so far.

“Anecdotally, we’re hearing stories in relation to young people’s willingness to attend it, and the hours of operation, from 2pm until 6pm, so there are a number of issues around it,” he said.

But the health minister did see some upside to the program.

“The 1000 people who have gone and sought advice, I think that’s a pretty good outcome,” Nicholls said.

“Does it need to be with pill testing, is the other question, or can it be done separately?

“Are there better means of getting that information out to kids so they have the information they need to make the correct decisions?”

Comment has been sought from The Loop chief executive Cameron Francis, who oversees CheQpoint’s operations.

Testing will continue to be available at schoolies this week with funding from NSW, as the staggered end of the school year means most attendees will be from interstate.

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