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Legislative Council - Fifty-Third Parliament, Second Session (53-2)
2015-12-08 Daily Xml
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Illicit Drugs

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE (15:18): I seek leave to make a brief explanation before asking the minister representing the Minister for Police questions relating to illicit drug use at music festivals.

Leave granted.

The Hon. R.L. BROKENSHIRE: As I'm sure the minister is aware, my colleague the Hon. Dennis Hood asked the minister a question last week in relation to preventing the use and trafficking of illicit drugs at public entertainment events such as Stereosonic, following the death of a young Sydney pharmacist the week prior.

As members would no doubt be aware, a young man tragically died over the weekend after he consumed pills believed to be ecstasy while attending the very same music festival here in Adelaide. A further two people were taken to hospital in a critical condition after overdosing from drugs at the event. Police seized 34 pills, evicted six people and refused entry to 34 other people after they were found to be carrying drugs. My questions to the minister are:

1. Were sniffer dogs allowed in the venue during and before the event on the day? (I know they were there the day before.) If they were not, why was this not the case?

2. Were all attendees searched before they were allowed into the venue for the potential trafficking of illicit drugs or personal use of illicit drugs?

3. What is the government's position to ensure that this does not happen again? Has there been a cabinet subcommittee meeting to discuss this event since Saturday?

The Hon. G.E. GAGO (Minister for Employment, Higher Education and Skills, Minister for Science and Information Economy, Minister for the Status of Women, Minister for Business Services and Consumers) (15:20): I thank the honourable member for his important question. Like everyone else in this chamber, I am sure, and like the community generally, I was deeply saddened at the recent death of the young man at a concert after taking drugs. He obviously did not understand the content of them, and it resulted in his death. It is such a tragic loss and a waste of a potentially wonderful young life. With that, I am happy to take the honourable member's questions on notice and refer them to I think the Minister for Police, but it may cross over to the Minister for Substance Abuse as well. However, I will refer the questions to the relevant minister/s in another place and bring back a response.

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