Media Release

Reason Party Leader and Northern Metropolitan MP Fiona Patten will be joined by the majority of new crossbench members of the Legislative Council, as well as health experts, calling on the Andrews Government to approve a crucial pill testing trial which will save lives.

Ms Patten will form a united front with other Upper House Members – Greens Leader Samantha Ratnam, Independent Catherine Cumming, Animal Justice representative Andy Meddick, Liberal Democrats MPs David Limbrick and Tim Quilty and others, on Monday at 10:30am on the steps of Parliament in a show of unity to prevent needless deaths occurring.

The move comes after six young people were tragically lost in five months due to drug overdoses at music festivals across Australia. The crossbench wants Premier Daniel Andrews to know enough is enough.

“Pill testing will save lives and there is evidence of this across the world,” Ms Patten said. “To the Premier, if you call Victoria the most progressive state, you can’t ignore pill testing. It’s time to start putting measures in place to help prevent these deaths. Health professionals are simply waiting for you to give the go ahead.”

“We are also urging the Minister for Youth, Gabrielle Williams, to take a stand on this issue,” the Northern Metro MP said.

“It is young people who are dying, so the Minister needs to show backbone within her cabinet ranks and stand up for the young people of Victoria. If she ignores pill testing – she is ignoring her own portfolio.”

A growing amount of overseas evidence has shown that pill testing reduced deaths and ambulance call-outs. Australia’s first pill testing trial at Groovin’ the Moo festival in Canberra last year was also hailed as a success by the government, organisers and the ACT Police.

Three heads of peak health bodies also put up their hands in support of a trial this week – the Australian Medical Association, Royal Australian College of General Practitioners and the Royal Australasian College of Physicians – saying there was enough evidence to support it.

“The members of the Upper House cross bench might hold a wide range of views on a variety of issues, but one thing we can all agree on, teenagers needlessly dying at festivals has got to stop,“ Ms Patten said.

“We won’t be silent on this issue. The time has come to introduce a pill testing trial in Victoria.”

What: Victorian Crossbench members – Unity Press Conference in Support of Pill Testing

When: 10:30am Monday, 21 January

Where: Parliament House front steps

Who: Fiona Patten – Leader of Reason; Samantha Ratnam – Leader of Victorian Greens; Andy Meddick – Animal Justice MP; Liberal Democrats MPs David Limbrick and Tim Quilty; Catherine Cumming – Independent MP

Media Contact: Kaitlin Bartlett

Phone: 0432 294 500

Email: kaitlin.bartlett@parliament.vic.gov.au