Pill testing could be introduced at music festivals in NSW and police may have to scale back drug detection operations under recommendations reportedly being considered by the NSW coroner.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Coroner Harriet Grahame has been overseeing an inquest into the deaths of six young people at music festivals between December 2017 and January 2019.
While her findings won't be made public until November 8, The Daily Telegraph on Tuesday reported 40 draft recommendations have already been sent to the NSW government departments and police.
Both authorities have reportedly taken issue will some of the recommendations, including that pill testing be allowed at the festivals and police body searches and use of sniffer dogs be stopped.
"You might as well legalise drugs at festivals from what is contained in the report," the Telegraph cited one source familiar with the draft report as saying.
Federal government frontbencher and deputy National leader Bridget McKenzie warned against making exceptions for illegal drug-taking.
"There is a reason drugs are illegal, it is because they do you great harm," she told Nine Network.
"Obviously this is a matter for the coroner and the NSW government, but we can't - my personal belief is we can't have places in our community where the law doesn't apply."
Labor frontbencher Tanya Plibersek agreed, saying "something that's made in a bikie's bathroom isn't likely to be good for you".
But she also appeared to back suggestions to allow pill testing, pointing to the medically supervised injecting centre in Sydney's Kings Cross, where addicts can shoot up and get medical help away from the eyes of police.
"And that has definitely saved lives. And it has worked cooperatively with the police and with the local community," she added.
Have you signed up to The Standard's daily newsletter and breaking news emails? You can register below and make sure you are up to date with everything that's happening in the south-west.