Govt Slammed For Rejecting Pill Testing After Festival Deaths: 'It's Pure Ignorance'

UPDATE: NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has said she would consider pill testing at festivals if provided evidence it would save lives.

As News.com.au reports, earlier today, Berejiklian - who has previously been strongly opposed to pill testing - told reporters "if there was a way in which we could ensure that lives were saved through pill testing we would consider it".

-----------------

Calls for the government to take action on pill testing are at an all-time high after two people died from suspected drug overdoses at separate music festivals in the last few days. 

A 22-year-old man died after taking an "unknown substance" at Lost Paradise festival in New South Wales on Saturday, while a 20-year-old male was confirmed to have passed away yesterday after being hospitalised from a suspected overdose on Sunday at Beyond The Valley festival in Lardner. 

At Field Day festival in Sydney yesterday, five punters were hospitalised (four of which are believed to be drug related), while 155 were arrested on drug-related matters. 

Meanwhile,  Falls Festival organisers sent a warning out to all patrons on Sunday regarding a "dangerous orange pill" being circulated around Australia.

Speaking to The Music today, Matt Noffs, CEO of Ted Noffs Foundation, who were instrumental in Australia's first-ever pill testing trial at Groovin The Moo in Canberra last year, described the news coming out of the NYE and NYD festivals as "tragic".

"For anyone who's enjoying their summer holiday right now, it's a sobering thought to think that your holiday could come to an abrupt end and you're busy organising a funeral for your child, whose life has been cut short," Noffs said.

As The Courier reports, former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Palmer said the time to adopt pill testing is now, while NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian and the Victorian government have again rejected the idea.

"This is a health measure, this is about being pragmatic," Noffs told The Music.

New South Wales could very well introduce pill testing in March, with Opposition leader Michael Daley declaring he will launch a drug summit if voted in in the upcoming election.

"Michael Daley should be both applauded and encouraged to keep an open mind and to have an open mind," Noffs said.

"This is something that majority of Australians want. We know from polling that 60% at least support [pill testing] across the country."

Responding to Berejiklian's firm stance against pill testing, Noffs said, "I've got a very simple line for the Premier which is... for God's sake before you make a decision, listen to the evidence.

"Because when you don't listen to the evidence and you make an ill-informed opinion, it's pure ignorance and it really angers many many parents across Australia."