Organisers of the rally want the government to form a roundtable to review the new rules impacting live music and to work with festival organisers to develop a transparent standard for policing and medical services. “We are for a solution that is proactive in the minimisation of harm. Not in the introduction of a poorly thought through method of regulation,…

As Mountain Sounds becomes the second victim of these regulations in the last week, it seems increasingly suspicious that forcing festivals to close down due to unrealistic costs is the Government’s way of preventing drug deaths. People are now calling this “The War on Festivals” and Sydney’s lock out laws are an example of how well-intended but out of touch…

City of Sydney councillors have backed calls for an urgent NSW drug summit and supported a pill-testing demonstration in a bid to drive down the number of young people dying at music festivals. Five young people have died from suspected drug overdoses at music festivals in Australia since September, reigniting heated debate over whether pill-testing should be trialled at the events.…

Whether motivated by self-centred pragmatism or ideological purity, the price that the community, families and individuals are paying for the opposition to pill testing is too high. Politicians must understand that human lives are not something to be traded away for the sake of keeping party members happy (and donating) or to defend a narrow ideal of what is acceptable…

Event organisers couldn’t publicly state drug-testing kits were available at their venues because the Misuse of Drugs Act made it illegal to knowingly permit drug use at any premises. “Until the law changes we have to be discreet about where we are going.” […]

“We make our harm-minimisation policies based on evidence, not the personal experiences of ministers,” Ms Fitzharris said. “The ACT government supports trialling pill testing because the evidence and expert advice tells us that it can help young people make better and more informed decisions at music festivals.” […]

Mr Rattenbury said his experience made him aware of the reality for young people, and that everyone had done risky things at some point in their life. But Mr Rattenbury said he could “guarantee” that no one in pill testing tents would encourage young people to take drugs and that he wished there was more information available when he tried…

A University of Wollongong legal expert says the NSW government’s zero-tolerance approach to illicit drugs like MDMA at music festivals was doing more harm than good. Ben Mostyn, a lecturer in the school of law, advocated a harm minimisation approach – adding his voice to the growing number of individuals and organisations calling for pill testing. […]

We have the opportunity to ensure reforms are implemented within a social justice model in collaboration with affected communities. At the same time, we can tackle those social and economic problems that drive people into the trade in the first place. Legally regulating drugs isn’t radical, it’s responsible. Drugs are too dangerous not to be regulated, and too profitable not to…

“All the evidence shows that ‘zero tolerance’ and ‘just say no’ policies simply don’t work and that harm reduction and treatment is the best way to minimise the dangers and reduce the broader impacts on crime and health. It’s 2019. It’s time for change. The majority of Australians support decriminalisation and 82% of young Australians support pill testing.” […]