1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:04,040 Speaker 1: Already and this is the daily This is the daily 2 00:00:04,120 --> 00:00:15,960 Speaker 1: ohs oh, now it makes sense. Good morning and welcome 3 00:00:15,960 --> 00:00:18,440 Speaker 1: to the Daily OS. It's Tuesday, the eleventh of March. 4 00:00:18,520 --> 00:00:21,880 Speaker 1: I'm Billy and I'm a choll. Earlier this month, thousands 5 00:00:21,880 --> 00:00:25,000 Speaker 1: of people attended the two day Yours and Ours Festival 6 00:00:25,040 --> 00:00:28,560 Speaker 1: in Wollongong, New South Wales. The regional festival is of 7 00:00:28,680 --> 00:00:32,159 Speaker 1: significant importance because it's the first to participate in the 8 00:00:32,200 --> 00:00:36,360 Speaker 1: state's first ever pill testing trial. It's obviously not a 9 00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,840 Speaker 1: new idea. Pill testing trials have become increasingly common across 10 00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:43,479 Speaker 1: Australia in recent years, with governments allowing pop up clinics 11 00:00:43,479 --> 00:00:47,080 Speaker 1: at schoolies in Queensland and festivals in Victoria. For New 12 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:50,280 Speaker 1: South Wales, it's an idea that has historically been shut 13 00:00:50,320 --> 00:00:54,560 Speaker 1: down repeatedly. So in today's podcasts our very own Atoll 14 00:00:55,000 --> 00:00:57,760 Speaker 1: got an inside look at how the service was right 15 00:00:57,800 --> 00:01:01,400 Speaker 1: you actually went to the festival and look at exactly 16 00:01:01,440 --> 00:01:04,959 Speaker 1: what goes on in the pill testing trial. Before we 17 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,120 Speaker 1: get to what it was like in the trial, I 18 00:01:07,160 --> 00:01:10,160 Speaker 1: want to understand how we got to this point because, 19 00:01:10,200 --> 00:01:12,839 Speaker 1: like I said, in New South Wales it has historically 20 00:01:13,080 --> 00:01:14,720 Speaker 1: been shut down that's. 21 00:01:14,560 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 2: Exactly right, Billy. I mean, drug safety at festivals is 22 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,560 Speaker 2: increasingly becoming a conversation that more people are eager to 23 00:01:20,680 --> 00:01:23,440 Speaker 2: have and there is a reason for that. I mean, 24 00:01:23,520 --> 00:01:27,440 Speaker 2: between twenty one and twenty nineteen, sixty four people died 25 00:01:27,640 --> 00:01:31,679 Speaker 2: because of drug related causes at Australian music festivals. So 26 00:01:31,760 --> 00:01:34,600 Speaker 2: six of those occurred in New South Wales between December 27 00:01:34,600 --> 00:01:38,479 Speaker 2: twenty seventeen and January twenty nineteen. Now more recently, two 28 00:01:38,600 --> 00:01:42,080 Speaker 2: more people died in twenty twenty three, also at festivals 29 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,160 Speaker 2: in New South Wales. The decision to greenlight the twelve 30 00:01:45,240 --> 00:01:48,000 Speaker 2: month pill testing trial comes after a New South Wales 31 00:01:48,080 --> 00:01:51,480 Speaker 2: drug summit held last year. Now. The summit, which was 32 00:01:51,520 --> 00:01:54,600 Speaker 2: one of the New South Wales Labor government's election promise 33 00:01:55,120 --> 00:01:58,160 Speaker 2: aimed at addressing the issues faced by people impacted by 34 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:02,040 Speaker 2: drugs and alcohol, event brought together a bunch of people. 35 00:02:02,120 --> 00:02:06,840 Speaker 2: This included experts, people with lived experiences, drug user organizations 36 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,359 Speaker 2: and families. It is quite significant because the last time 37 00:02:10,440 --> 00:02:13,679 Speaker 2: New Southweld held a drug summit was in nineteen ninety nine. 38 00:02:14,000 --> 00:02:16,600 Speaker 1: Wow, that is so long ago, and so my understanding 39 00:02:16,680 --> 00:02:20,560 Speaker 1: of what this drug summit is was to understand what 40 00:02:20,760 --> 00:02:23,720 Speaker 1: is happening certain trends in the drug space or in 41 00:02:23,800 --> 00:02:26,519 Speaker 1: drug consumption in the state, and then to look at 42 00:02:26,560 --> 00:02:31,160 Speaker 1: how the harm caused by drugs can be minimized exactly. 43 00:02:31,440 --> 00:02:33,560 Speaker 1: And so what came out of this drug summit? 44 00:02:33,880 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 2: Yeah, So, as mentioned the Drug Summit that happened last year, 45 00:02:36,919 --> 00:02:39,560 Speaker 2: we're still waiting for the final report which is due 46 00:02:39,600 --> 00:02:42,240 Speaker 2: to be handed down next year. But in the interim 47 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:45,200 Speaker 2: a pill testing trial was recommended by the experts on 48 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:48,480 Speaker 2: the panel and the New Southwal's government actually agreed to 49 00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:49,840 Speaker 2: take in on this initiative. 50 00:02:50,120 --> 00:02:52,840 Speaker 1: Right, so the drug Summit recommended that there should be 51 00:02:52,919 --> 00:02:55,520 Speaker 1: this pill testing trial in New South Wales. The New 52 00:02:55,520 --> 00:02:58,440 Speaker 1: South Wales government agreed to it, and that is what 53 00:02:58,520 --> 00:03:01,120 Speaker 1: happened two weekends ago now at the Yours and Our 54 00:03:01,240 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: Festival where they had the first ever pill testing trial. 55 00:03:04,320 --> 00:03:06,480 Speaker 1: I tell you went to it? I did you went 56 00:03:06,520 --> 00:03:07,480 Speaker 1: to it on a Sunday? 57 00:03:07,639 --> 00:03:07,919 Speaker 2: Yep? 58 00:03:08,120 --> 00:03:09,600 Speaker 1: What did it involve? 59 00:03:10,080 --> 00:03:13,400 Speaker 2: So the pill testing trial followed very similar guidelines to 60 00:03:13,440 --> 00:03:16,720 Speaker 2: how other states have run theirs in previous years, so 61 00:03:17,040 --> 00:03:19,880 Speaker 2: meaning at music festivals or at one off events where 62 00:03:20,080 --> 00:03:22,280 Speaker 2: there are likely to be people who are planning to 63 00:03:22,440 --> 00:03:25,680 Speaker 2: use illicit drugs under the trial ten set festivals are 64 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,560 Speaker 2: set up for attendees to have their drugs chemically analyzed, 65 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:31,760 Speaker 2: and the purpose of this is to identify potentially harmful 66 00:03:32,120 --> 00:03:33,880 Speaker 2: or unexpected ingredients. 67 00:03:34,000 --> 00:03:36,600 Speaker 1: So the idea that when you are taking something that 68 00:03:36,760 --> 00:03:40,320 Speaker 1: is illegal, you don't necessarily know what is inside it, 69 00:03:40,360 --> 00:03:43,120 Speaker 1: and it could be different to what you thought it was, 70 00:03:43,280 --> 00:03:45,760 Speaker 1: and these trials are aimed at detecting exactly that. 71 00:03:46,120 --> 00:03:50,440 Speaker 2: Exactly, so they're being used as a harmonimization service essentially. 72 00:03:50,840 --> 00:03:54,320 Speaker 2: Now the process is confidential, anonymous, and honestly it takes 73 00:03:54,360 --> 00:03:57,640 Speaker 2: about fifteen minutes. So once the drugs are tested, health 74 00:03:57,640 --> 00:04:01,560 Speaker 2: professionals review the results and provide professional advice to people 75 00:04:01,600 --> 00:04:04,600 Speaker 2: who brought the drugs in about what is in their 76 00:04:04,680 --> 00:04:05,680 Speaker 2: drug exactly. 77 00:04:06,080 --> 00:04:08,760 Speaker 1: Okay, And again, you were there, do you want to 78 00:04:08,760 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: tell us about what your experience at the festival was like, 79 00:04:12,240 --> 00:04:15,320 Speaker 1: specifically in terms of the pill testing, not about I mean, 80 00:04:15,360 --> 00:04:17,159 Speaker 1: I'm sure, I'm sure the music was great. 81 00:04:17,400 --> 00:04:19,200 Speaker 2: I had a great time to grow on because were 82 00:04:19,200 --> 00:04:20,680 Speaker 2: it what were they? Yeah? 83 00:04:20,720 --> 00:04:22,920 Speaker 1: They actually were Wow? Did you get to hear them 84 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:24,400 Speaker 1: or was it strictly professional. 85 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:29,320 Speaker 2: Strictly business? So, yeah, I went to the festival on 86 00:04:29,360 --> 00:04:32,240 Speaker 2: the second day. It was a two day event. Upon arrival, 87 00:04:32,240 --> 00:04:34,240 Speaker 2: the pill testing tent was one of the first ones 88 00:04:34,279 --> 00:04:37,280 Speaker 2: you saw by the entrance. New South Wales health workers 89 00:04:37,279 --> 00:04:40,559 Speaker 2: made their presence really known to attendees. There were there, 90 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:43,600 Speaker 2: there were signs, There were posters along the strip letting 91 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:47,200 Speaker 2: people know basically that the service was available. Now. I 92 00:04:47,279 --> 00:04:50,000 Speaker 2: spent time chatting to some of these attendees and the 93 00:04:50,120 --> 00:04:53,400 Speaker 2: general attitude about the tents was pretty positive. Here are 94 00:04:53,440 --> 00:04:55,600 Speaker 2: some examples of what people had to say about it. 95 00:04:55,920 --> 00:04:58,440 Speaker 1: So many people who have had bad drugs just trying 96 00:04:58,440 --> 00:05:00,200 Speaker 1: to have a good time here. All the time, I 97 00:05:00,240 --> 00:05:01,800 Speaker 1: thought that it was everywhere. I didn't know was the 98 00:05:01,839 --> 00:05:03,440 Speaker 1: first one in use at Whales. That's crazy. 99 00:05:03,680 --> 00:05:06,279 Speaker 2: It should just be everywhere. It's like, it's the smarter 100 00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:07,440 Speaker 2: and safer way to do it. 101 00:05:07,520 --> 00:05:11,359 Speaker 1: Really, I think. Yeah, harm minimization is pretty forward thinking. 102 00:05:11,360 --> 00:05:11,839 Speaker 2: It healthy. 103 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:14,640 Speaker 1: Okay, So it sounds like the crowds were pretty receptive 104 00:05:14,680 --> 00:05:17,239 Speaker 1: to it. Do we know how many people actually used 105 00:05:17,360 --> 00:05:17,919 Speaker 1: the service? 106 00:05:18,360 --> 00:05:20,839 Speaker 2: Yeah. Over the two day festival, more than one hundred 107 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,920 Speaker 2: people visited the tent. Now, out of those one hundred, 108 00:05:24,000 --> 00:05:28,160 Speaker 2: eighty drug samples were tested with MDMA ketamine and cocaine 109 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,920 Speaker 2: being the three most common substances brought in. Health experts 110 00:05:31,960 --> 00:05:34,800 Speaker 2: said that eleven percent of those samples were not what 111 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,200 Speaker 2: people actually thought they had with them. 112 00:05:37,360 --> 00:05:38,480 Speaker 1: Interesting, I know. 113 00:05:38,560 --> 00:05:41,560 Speaker 2: And they said in several cases people actually threw away 114 00:05:41,640 --> 00:05:45,440 Speaker 2: the drugs they brought in after having conversations with those professionals. 115 00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:49,280 Speaker 2: Now for context, these tents also had amnesty boxes where 116 00:05:49,320 --> 00:05:53,120 Speaker 2: you could safely discard your drugs, and occasionally, at these 117 00:05:53,120 --> 00:05:56,640 Speaker 2: festivals where pill testing trials are being run, drug warnings 118 00:05:56,680 --> 00:05:59,880 Speaker 2: can be issued if experts pick up on substances that 119 00:06:00,400 --> 00:06:03,800 Speaker 2: deemed dangerous. But at this festival, New South Wales health 120 00:06:03,800 --> 00:06:06,200 Speaker 2: experts say they did not have to issue any of 121 00:06:06,200 --> 00:06:10,280 Speaker 2: those warnings, nor were there any critical drug related harm 122 00:06:10,320 --> 00:06:12,000 Speaker 2: events reported, So. 123 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,400 Speaker 1: That's probably considered a success, I would presume, right, Yeah, that's. 124 00:06:16,200 --> 00:06:19,720 Speaker 2: Pretty much their ideal outcome for these services, and so. 125 00:06:19,760 --> 00:06:22,479 Speaker 1: Pill testing trials, like we said, it is an initiative 126 00:06:22,480 --> 00:06:24,640 Speaker 1: that a lot of young people are in support of, 127 00:06:24,800 --> 00:06:26,359 Speaker 1: just like the people that you spoke to at the 128 00:06:26,360 --> 00:06:29,920 Speaker 1: festival a Chunnel. But I know, as we mentioned at 129 00:06:30,000 --> 00:06:32,520 Speaker 1: the top of the podcast, that the New South Wales 130 00:06:32,600 --> 00:06:36,040 Speaker 1: government in particular has historically been against this. Do you 131 00:06:36,080 --> 00:06:39,040 Speaker 1: want to kind of take us through that history there. 132 00:06:39,400 --> 00:06:42,280 Speaker 2: Yeah, So the New South Wales government's track record on 133 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:46,320 Speaker 2: this subject makes it pretty hard to imagine. Right. Concerns 134 00:06:46,320 --> 00:06:49,920 Speaker 2: about pill testing have been consistently raised across the country, 135 00:06:50,120 --> 00:06:53,000 Speaker 2: and that's including New South Wales, where the previous coalition 136 00:06:53,080 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 2: government repeatedly rejected a formal recommendation to run a trial 137 00:06:57,560 --> 00:07:00,880 Speaker 2: like this one. Now, the coalition STAN is rooted in 138 00:07:00,920 --> 00:07:03,880 Speaker 2: the belief that pill testing could give drug users a 139 00:07:03,920 --> 00:07:07,400 Speaker 2: misleading sense of safety when taking illicit drugs. 140 00:07:07,839 --> 00:07:10,000 Speaker 1: Okay, So they're concerned about the idea that if you're 141 00:07:10,040 --> 00:07:12,720 Speaker 1: someone who goes to this pill testing, you give them 142 00:07:12,720 --> 00:07:15,000 Speaker 1: their pill, they say, yes, this is what you thought 143 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:17,280 Speaker 1: it was, and then you take it. They're worried that 144 00:07:17,320 --> 00:07:21,480 Speaker 1: you're then under this kind of misguided understanding that what 145 00:07:21,520 --> 00:07:24,400 Speaker 1: you took is safe. But obviously, as we know, no 146 00:07:24,600 --> 00:07:27,600 Speaker 1: drugs are safe, and so they're saying that it is 147 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,240 Speaker 1: misleading people into thinking that what they are taking is safe. 148 00:07:31,240 --> 00:07:33,200 Speaker 1: I feel like I've said safe ten times, but you 149 00:07:33,240 --> 00:07:33,960 Speaker 1: get what I'm saying. 150 00:07:34,120 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 2: No, that's exactly right. And at the time then Premier 151 00:07:37,200 --> 00:07:40,840 Speaker 2: Dominic Perotoe his message to young people was basically don't 152 00:07:40,960 --> 00:07:45,000 Speaker 2: do drugs because no matter what, there is always a risk. 153 00:07:45,840 --> 00:07:47,880 Speaker 2: But with the change of government, with the new Labor 154 00:07:47,920 --> 00:07:51,200 Speaker 2: government coming in in New South Wales, we've witness quite 155 00:07:51,280 --> 00:07:54,560 Speaker 2: a shift in the state's attitude towards the service. So 156 00:07:54,640 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 2: the current New South Wales Premier Chrismin said that the 157 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:00,200 Speaker 2: move is about saving lives and not encouraging drug. 158 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:03,160 Speaker 1: I think this is where it gets interesting, because obviously 159 00:08:03,280 --> 00:08:05,880 Speaker 1: drugs are still illegal in New South Wales and in 160 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:08,800 Speaker 1: every state and territory in Australia drugs are illegal. But 161 00:08:09,200 --> 00:08:11,720 Speaker 1: I can see why some people would say that isn't 162 00:08:11,720 --> 00:08:15,800 Speaker 1: this a contradiction when drugs are illegal and you actually 163 00:08:15,800 --> 00:08:19,720 Speaker 1: have police at the festival monitoring and trying to see 164 00:08:19,760 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: if there are people there with drugs, and they have 165 00:08:22,640 --> 00:08:26,920 Speaker 1: sniffer dugs I presume. But then in the same space 166 00:08:26,960 --> 00:08:30,080 Speaker 1: you also have a tend where people can go test 167 00:08:30,280 --> 00:08:33,840 Speaker 1: their pills. So how do they kind of navigate that 168 00:08:34,040 --> 00:08:36,199 Speaker 1: contradiction because I can see why for some people it 169 00:08:36,240 --> 00:08:38,480 Speaker 1: would be considered mixed messaging. 170 00:08:38,800 --> 00:08:41,240 Speaker 2: No, absolutely, I mean when I showed up to the 171 00:08:41,240 --> 00:08:43,800 Speaker 2: festival and I saw the pill testing tent set up 172 00:08:43,880 --> 00:08:47,040 Speaker 2: right next to the police tent. It was a little 173 00:08:47,320 --> 00:08:48,880 Speaker 2: striking that juxtaposition. 174 00:08:49,480 --> 00:08:51,880 Speaker 1: But to be clear, if you are in the tent, 175 00:08:52,400 --> 00:08:54,480 Speaker 1: police can't come and get you and say you're doing 176 00:08:54,520 --> 00:08:57,160 Speaker 1: something illegal. They can't come and arrest you, right exactly. 177 00:08:57,200 --> 00:09:00,160 Speaker 2: The pill testing tent is a legal safe space. But 178 00:09:00,280 --> 00:09:02,839 Speaker 2: in the lead up to the festival, you know, the organizers, 179 00:09:02,880 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 2: the government, the police all made sure to stress the 180 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:09,280 Speaker 2: fact that drugs do remain illegal in New South Wales 181 00:09:09,320 --> 00:09:11,560 Speaker 2: and that the law still applied to the rest of 182 00:09:11,600 --> 00:09:12,199 Speaker 2: the venue. 183 00:09:12,440 --> 00:09:15,480 Speaker 1: So to be clear, there were sniffer dogs conducting drug 184 00:09:15,480 --> 00:09:18,080 Speaker 1: searchers and police conducting drug searchers. 185 00:09:18,320 --> 00:09:22,400 Speaker 2: Absolutely, police presence was pretty strong throughout the whole festival. 186 00:09:22,720 --> 00:09:26,120 Speaker 2: On both days. They were officers patrolling and roaming the 187 00:09:26,160 --> 00:09:29,720 Speaker 2: festival site. A mobile police unit had been set up 188 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:32,440 Speaker 2: right by the entrance, and like you said, those officers 189 00:09:32,480 --> 00:09:36,320 Speaker 2: were using sniffer dogs to conduct drug searchers as people 190 00:09:36,360 --> 00:09:39,160 Speaker 2: lined up to get into the venue. In those drug 191 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,880 Speaker 2: searchers that were conducted at the front of the venue, 192 00:09:42,040 --> 00:09:45,360 Speaker 2: mdermine cannabis were among some of the most popular drugs 193 00:09:45,400 --> 00:09:48,120 Speaker 2: found by police. By the end of day two, police 194 00:09:48,200 --> 00:09:51,040 Speaker 2: charged twenty three people with drug possession. 195 00:09:51,400 --> 00:09:54,640 Speaker 1: I think that's really interesting and something that as there 196 00:09:54,679 --> 00:09:58,240 Speaker 1: are more of these trials across Australia that we'll have 197 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:00,760 Speaker 1: to see how that goes with the country addiction of 198 00:10:00,960 --> 00:10:03,559 Speaker 1: you know, police arresting people for having drugs and then 199 00:10:04,320 --> 00:10:07,040 Speaker 1: very close to that having a tent where you can 200 00:10:07,360 --> 00:10:11,040 Speaker 1: consume drugs safely. I think it'll be really interesting to 201 00:10:11,080 --> 00:10:13,880 Speaker 1: see what the future of pill testing looks like. No 202 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,600 Speaker 1: doubt you'll have to attend more festivals, all in the 203 00:10:16,679 --> 00:10:17,800 Speaker 1: name of work. 204 00:10:17,720 --> 00:10:20,920 Speaker 2: I guess if I have to be there at chel. 205 00:10:21,120 --> 00:10:23,640 Speaker 1: Thank you so much for breaking that down for us 206 00:10:23,640 --> 00:10:27,199 Speaker 1: and for spending your sundays into investigating it for The 207 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:30,120 Speaker 1: Daily Ohs. Thank you, and thank you so much for 208 00:10:30,160 --> 00:10:33,200 Speaker 1: listening to this episode of The Daily Ods. We'll be 209 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,480 Speaker 1: back again this afternoon with your evening headlines, but until then, 210 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:41,480 Speaker 1: have a great day. 211 00:10:41,760 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 2: My name is Lily Madden and I'm a proud Aarunda 212 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 2: Bunje lung Chalcuttin woman from Gadigl Country. The Daily os 213 00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:51,280 Speaker 2: acknowledges that this podcast is recorded on the lands of 214 00:10:51,280 --> 00:10:54,600 Speaker 2: the Gadighl people and pays respect to all Aboriginal and 215 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:57,680 Speaker 2: Torres Strait Island and nations. We pay our respects to 216 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:00,600 Speaker 2: the first peoples of these countries, both past in present.