The coroner overseeing an inquest into drug-related deaths at NSW music festivals says pill testing should be trialled because the evidence in favour of it is “compelling”.
Today, Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame closed the inquest into six MDMA-related deaths at recent music festivals and called for the state to radically change its approach to drug policy.
“I am in no doubt whatsoever that there is sufficient evidence to support a drug-checking trial in NSW,” she told the NSW Coroners Court.
“In my view, the evidence is compelling.”
The coroner’s findings didn’t stray too far from a document that was leaked last month.
RELATED: Inquest calls for pill testing and personal drug use to be decriminalised
Ms Grahame said she’d examined a wealth of peer-reviewed evidence, hours of testimony and opinions of police, parents and experts on medically supervised drug checking to form her opinion.
“Of course, drug checking is not a magic solution,” she said. “Of course, it does not guarantee there won’t be more deaths.” But she said it could help and should go beyond music festivals, urging a Dutch-style community-based drug checking system.
The inquest examined the deaths of Joshua Tam, Nathan Tran, Alex Ross-King, Diana Nguyen, Joseph Pham and Callum Brosnan, who were all aged under 24 when they died at or shortly after leaving NSW music festivals in the 13 months to January 2019.
Each had consumed multiple MDMA capsules during or shortly before the festival.
Several parents whose children were named in the inquest were at the courthouse today, standing in solidarity and hoping for change.
Among them was Adriana Buccianti. When her son, Daniel, died at a music festival in January 2012, her “world fell apart”, she said. The heartbroken mother has been petitioning for change ever since his tragic death.
Today, she stood among other parents in support of pill testing in the hope that no more young people will die at Australian festivals.
“It just brings everything back home,” she told news.com.au. “The only difference between me and the parents here is just time.
“My concern is give it another few days, and the hype will be gone.
“I think it’s definitely a push in the right direction. I think the coroner’s done a fantastic job, and I can only hope that all states take heed and take something out of it.”
Before delivering dozens of recommendations, Ms Grahame called on NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian’s government to look at drug problems at festivals with “fresh eyes” and examine evidence-based solutions.
The evidence before the inquest “clearly indicated” much could be done to prevent MDMA deaths, she said.
“There are practical solutions,” Ms Grahame said.
“However, the evidence draws into clear focus the need for the NSW Government to look with fresh eyes at the potential dangers associated with drug use at music festivals.”
Parents like Ms Buccianti echoed the coroner’s sentiments.
“She wasn’t caving, but she was there and she listened to all the evidence,” she said of the Premier. “And she listened to the parents, to the heartache they go through. And I think that’s a big thing.”
Ms Buccianti says she’d love to meet with the Premier – along with all the other parents – as it would provide her with a better insight.
“I think she needs to see and understand how that affects the family. Because it doesn't just affect the family directly but also generations to come,” she said.
“And a drug summit. Because at the end of the day, it’s not about my son anymore. It’s not just about these young people, it’s about the future. And this is what we need to talk about. It’s not just about this minute, today. It’s about the next person and the next family.”
Ms Buccianti’s petition stands at 126,000 signatures. Her goal is simple: “To circulate the petition far and wide. We must demand change, we must demand that drug checking be implemented along with a curb of police behaviour.”
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