Ban on pill testing faces delay as schoolies looms
The premier is reconsidering an immediate scrapping of pill testing as end-of-school student partying approaches on the Gold Coast.
A hardline stance on drugs might be put on hold for schoolies by the new Queensland government, with the premier baulking at an immediate pill-testing ban.
Pill testing at the popular end-of-year event on the Gold Coast was to be rolled out at a cost of $80,000 by the former Labor government.
But the LNP government said it would ditch the scheme if elected.
After ending Laborâs nine-year reign at the election on Saturday, Mr Crisafulli said he would await advice on a pill-testing ban with the schoolies event just weeks away.
But the premier said he was not backtracking on the policy.
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âIâm going to take some advice on that and Iâm going to do that in a deliberate way â thatâs important,â he told reporters on Tuesday.
âTo be clear, weâve said that we donât support pill testing and Iâm not walking away from that.
âThe question was asked about schoolies, which is in three weeksâ time â weâre not talking about in the future, Iâm talking about this event here and Iâve asked for some advice.â
Queensland is one of only three jurisdictions in the nation to have legalised pill testing.
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The former government introduced the legislation in a bid to help school leavers celebrate safely.
It had committed $1 million over two years to fund pill testing, with fixed sites established in Brisbane and the Gold Coast.
Its first pill-testing service was rolled out at the Rabbits Eat Lettuce festival over the Easter weekend in 2024 where 250 people had substances assessed.
It followed calls for increased standardised pill-testing programs at festivals after the deaths of Dassarn Tarbutt, 24, and Ebony Greening, 22, at the 2019 edition of Rabbits Eat Lettuce.
The Australian Medical Association said it was disappointed the LNP intended to scrap pill testing and would look to speak with the government.
âWe have consulted with doctors, police and legal experts and I think this is something that will improve safety for our community, our young children and young adults, and especially at events such as schoolies,â AMA Queensland president Nick Yim told ABC Gold Coast on Monday.
âIf someone is contemplating already to take an unknown substance, this is an opportunity for that individual to have that drug tested to see exactly what it is.
âThese drugs are becoming more sophisticated with more synthetic drugs, and we are seeing, unfortunately, people entering our emergency departments with overdoses.â
Asked about the AMAâs stance, the premier reiterated he would take advice on the matter.
âWeâve got a really good relationship with them, and I respect them immensely, and Iâm taking some advice about that right now,â he said.
Queensland, ACT and Victoria have legalised pill testing.
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