“As I’ve always said, there are no silver bullets here. But if there are any further steps we can take to keep young people safe this festival season, we’ll listen to the experts and the evidence,” Park said.
While the details of the 12 festivals likely to be chosen for the trial are still being decided, NSW Health will focus on events with a history of drug overdoses.
In October last year, two men died of a suspected drug overdose at the Knockout Festival at Sydney Olympic Park, while in December four people were hospitalised after taking drugs at the Epik music festival.
NSW Health Minister Ryan Park.Credit: Janie Barrett
The amnesty provided by the trial will be limited to people seeking to check small quantities of illicit drugs for their own personal use, and the government said police operations targeting drug supply would not be affected.
It means that, in practice, police are still likely to be able to use drug-detection dogs at festivals subject to the trial. Officers will not monitor the drug-checking site, and government sources said they would rely on police discretion not to target people carrying small amounts of drugs near the festival.
Ahead of the announcement on Thursday, Minns stressed he would be “guided by the evidence we are presented” following the trial.
“The trial has a clear purpose – to reduce harm and save lives,” he said.
“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.
“I also want to be clear that taking illicit drugs remains illegal. This trial does not change police powers, and if you commit a crime, you may be charged and prosecuted.”
