NSW Premier Again Rejects Pill Testing Despite State Coroner Recommendations

NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian says the Government is still firmly against pill testing despite a leaked draft report from the State Coroner this week, which recommends that the initiative be introduced at music festivals across the state. 

Berejiklian, who has consistently opposed pill testing, again insisted her stance has not changed despite the State Coroner findings, which are expected to be delivered in full on 8 November. 

 Speaking to ABC, Berejiklian said, "We will not go down that path because we feel very strongly that it sends a wrong message.

"It actually gives people a false sense of security because how one person reacts to a drug is very different to another person reacting and unfortunately we have seen people lose their lives by taking what is a pure substance, a pure drug.

"What pill testing does is pick up on irregularities, however pill testing doesn't protect people from the actual substance itself and that's what concerns us as a Government."

The Premier's comments come after controversial changes to NSW festival licenses, which the Government introduced in a bid to improve safety at music events, were removed in Legislative Council late last month.

The leaked report also recommends the removal of sniffer dogs and strip searches from police at music festivals. Speaking to The Music this week, CEO of Ted Noffs Foundation, Matt Noffs, who was instrumental in two pill testing pilots at Groovin The Moo in Canberra in recent years, supported the recommendations. 

"[Pill testing] should be about young people getting access to that information first and foremost," Noffs said.

"I support police being at festivals. I support them there in a transformed role where they're there to help young people when they get into trouble. Not to strip search them, not to arrest them. I don't support that.

"Any dilution of pill testing any way that hands more power to police, then I really think we're going to get into trouble."