NSW Government To Trial Pill Testing In 2025

The NSW Government has agreed to trial pill testing at music festivals in early 2025.

The project will be a 12-month trial that will be anonymous and free to access by anyone who needs the services. It will reportedly cost NSW taxpayers $1 million (per ABC). During the trial, punters will be able to take a small sample of narcotics to a health professional on-site, who will then test it for purity, potency, and adulterants.

“No parent wants to be given the news that something has happened to their child at a music festival, and that they are now in an emergency department or worse,” NSW state Premier, Chris Minns, explained (via The Guardian). “The trial has a clear purpose – to reduce harm and save lives.”

NSW’s pill-testing trial follows other major developments this year. In April, the Queensland-based music festival Rabbits Eat Lettuce trialled pill testing, and the state government installed two permanent pill-testing clinics. That move followed Canberra's establishment of a pill-testing clinic in 2022.

• 'Potentially Lives Saved' With Pill Testing At Rabbits Eat Lettuce Festival

In October, mobile pill testing was legalised in Victoria. While the new law does not legalise illicit drugs, it does allow for mobile and fixed pill testing throughout the state and protects those who use and operate such services.

The Victorian Government’s pill testing implementation trial will take place at this year’s Beyond The Valley music festival.

The festival—which runs from Saturday, 28 December, through Wednesday, 1 January, at the Barunah Plains Homestead—has been chosen as the first of ten festival events that will host the pill testing trial over the summer.

The Australian Festival Association (AFA) has commended the Minns Government for implementing the 12-month pill testing trial in 2025.

AFA Managing Director Mitch Wilson described the move as a “huge shift” in how the state government approaches music festivals in NSW.

“This trial is a testament to what can be achieved through persistence, collaboration, and a shared commitment to safety,” Wilson said. “I look forward to working closely with the NSW Government and health experts to ensure the trial’s success and its expansion in the future.

“We thank Premier Chris Minns, Minister Ryan Park and Minister Yasmin Catley for being the first NSW Government to allow pill testing, which has been recommended by health and legal experts for many years.”

AFA Chair Adelle Robinson added, “This trial is a significant step forward for festival safety in NSW and a win for evidence-based policy.

“By prioritising harm reduction and collaboration, the government is demonstrating a commitment to keeping festival-goers safe whilst also supporting industry. We’re proud to see years of advocacy result in meaningful change and look forward to continuing to work together to ensure its success.”