Page 2695 - Week 07 - Thursday, 1 August 2019
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(5) Did the (a) Minister for Health and Wellbeing, (b) Minister for Mental Health, (c) other ACT ministers or (d) backbench MLAs visit the pill testing facility at any time.
(6) How many (a) overdoses occurred at Groovin’ the Moo 2019 and (b) people who used pill testing overdosed.
(7) What (a) did the ACT Government charge to the pill-testing service providers for the use of space at Exhibition Park to conduct pill testing and (b) would the normal “rack rate” be for that space.
(8) How many officials or Ministers from other governments witnessed pill testing at Groovin’ the Moo at the invitation of the ACT Government.
Ms Fitzharris: The answer to the member’s question is as follows:
(1) The ACT Government provided a supportive policy environment within which a trial of a pill testing service could take place at the Groovin the Moo festival. Pill Testing Australia ran the pill testing service.
(2) No.
(3) Yes.
(a) An independent review of the pill testing service is being conducted by researchers from the Australian National University.
(b) $56,861.10 is being provided for the independent review.
(c) The purpose of the review is to consider both the operations and effectiveness of the pill testing service as a harm minimisation strategy. There are no terms of reference for the review.
(d) The review will report in two phases with the first report expected by late June 2019, and the second by the end of 2019. Both reports will be considered by Government and will inform the position on pill testing services going forward.
(4) I am advised that:
(a) Approximately 25,000 people attended the Groovin the Moo festival.
(b) 234 attended the pill testing service
(c) 171 samples were tested. A number of samples were accompanied by multiple patrons.
(d) All patrons attending the service receive advice about the risks associated with taking drugs, as well as targeted advice on the specific risks associated with their sample.
(e) The seven samples identified as containing the potentially dangerous n-ethylpentylone were observed to be discarded, however, all patrons have the option to discard their drugs, and are not directly observed doing so. The evaluation from the ANU may provide more detail on the proportion of patrons who discarded drugs following their experience at the pill testing service.
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