In Parliament, I welcomed commencement of a government pill testing trial at music festivals. The first service happened at the Wollongong Yours and Owls Festival on 1 and 2 March. About 100 people had their drugs tested, most commonly for MDMA, ketamine and cocaine. Tests measured potency and makeup with about 10 percent revealing unexpected substances. Patrons using the service also received information about keeping safe and getting help if they chose to take their substance.

Together with the HSU, Uniting, Unharm, the Australian Festivals Association, religious leaders, unions, families and other MPs, I called for this reform at last year’s drug summit. We also called for removal of police discretion in issuing diversion notices over drug possession charges, a strategy to reduce prescription drug dependencies and an exemption from driving offences for the detection of inactive traces of illicit drugs for people prescribed medicinal cannabis. I hope the upcoming co-chairs’ report also supports decriminalisation of illicit drug use to reduce criminalisation and stigma while encouraging access to support.  

My speech > HERE.