Page 3139 - Week 09 - Tuesday, 22 August 2017
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happen, for several reasons. First, an interdepartmental committee will consider the issue, and we all know how long it takes interdepartmental committees to get anything done. We have no guidelines, and the relevant area of ACT Health has reports that are years overdue. The relevant area will be working on finalising the opioid guidelines until the middle of next month and will have six weeks to develop these guidelines. The Canberra Times reported on 31 July that the committee which oversees the drug and alcohol strategy has not met this year and should have input into developing such guidelines.
There is serious doubt as to whether the government can or should be implementing pill testing. (Second speaking period taken.) I put a series of 19 questions on notice in the estimates process about the pill testing scheme. The minister’s answer was:
The ACT Government has publically committed to exploring pill testing options further. ACT Health has been tasked with leading this process.
It seems to me that the minister and her directorate have not even thought about a single one of the issues I raised in questions. And the Spilt Milk festival—aptly named for the potential consequences of the pill testing facility—is only three months away. Another answer given in that question on notice was:
There is a small chance that a component of a pill will not be detected using mobile analytical pill testing equipment.
But I want to refer to an article in the Sydney Morning Herald of 20 January by Mr Andrew Leibie, credited in the article as a member of the International Association of Forensic Toxicologists. Mr Leibie states:
It sounds fine in theory, but there is one major flaw—pill testing kits currently relied upon to deliver the results are limited by scientific realities. In fact, the proposed colourimetric on-site pill test kits provide results that are little more accurate than “best guesses”.
Let me repeat that, Madam Assistant Speaker: they are little more accurate than a best guess. Mr Leibie continues:
Proper analysis of pills requires highly sophisticated laboratory equipment and can take days of work by trained scientists.
That is probably why no government has any plans to implement pill testing at music festivals.
Let me give Ms Fitzharris some free advice. She has a get-out clause. The Spilt Milk festival is at Commonwealth Park, which is on commonwealth land. Pill testing will need commonwealth government approval, and I doubt that they will give it. Ms Fitzharris can feel free to blame the commonwealth whilst being silently thankful that she did not have to deliver on pill testing. It will be a similar ploy to the actions of the Chief Minister over the Australia forum earlier this year.
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