Tuesday, 6 February 2024

Drug harm reduction

Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:26): My question is for the Premier. So far this summer we have had 11 young Victorians hospitalised in two overdose events at music festivals. In New South Wales we have had three hospitalised after ingesting the lethal opiate nitazene, which was sold as ecstasy. From the ACT’s trials we know that a large proportion of young people will discard their drugs after being told what is in them. Sadly, however, in Victoria we wait until kids are in ICU or occasionally the morgue before we test their blood for whatever drugs they have taken. There have been at least four separate coronial recommendations in Victoria in recent years calling for pill testing in this state, so when will Labor introduce pill testing in Victoria?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:27): I thank the member for Brunswick for his question. At the outset can I say that any overdose, any incident where an individual has found themselves in a seriously ill situation, is incredibly distressing, and I certainly want to send my thoughts to people who have been affected – as the member mentioned, there have been some incidents over the course of this summer period – and to anyone who has been impacted by the effects of illegal drugs.

In answer directly to the member’s question, there are no current plans to change the policy setting on this matter. However, I have indicated publicly, and I will repeat it for the benefit of the house, that we are continuing to consider the evidence, particularly taking on board the events that have occurred here and in other jurisdictions over this summer period, because we are treating this issue seriously and we are doing it in a way that is within the current policy settings where as a government we take a health-led approach to our alcohol and drug policy settings. It is entirely appropriate within that framework to consider what has happened over the festival season, over the summer season, and also to look at the evidence from other jurisdictions – Queensland and the ACT most particularly – and consider the evidence before us.

I did just want to pull up, though, the member for Brunswick on the observation that he made around the situation here in Victoria. We already have in place a range of programs that support particularly a younger group of Victorians who go to the festivals and events. We have existing supports in place for young people at the music festivals. I am sure the member for Brunswick is aware of the DanceWize program, an excellent program that does provide practical support to young people at the festivals and provides them with health support as well should they find themselves in distress. There is also work that is done across jurisdictions about the identification of emerging drugs, and that information is shared across jurisdictions and is shared across the broader Victorian community.

As I said, this is a matter we are considering in terms of the context of the broader health-led approach we take, but I did want to advise the member for Brunswick that it is sitting in a context of a range of actions we are already taking to support young people in these circumstances.

Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:30): I thank the Premier for the answer, and I am glad that the government is finally prepared to look at this evidence. I would like to know: will this include the four recent Victorian coroners reports, and will it include consultation with some of the 77 health organisations, unions and other peak bodies, including the Australian Medical Association, the Australian pharmaceutical association, the Royal Australian College of GPs and the ambulance and nurses’ unions, all of whom currently support drug checking?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:31): I will say to the member for Brunswick that we will take advice from experts and stakeholders and groups that work across the broader health field as we consider this matter.