Ray Hadley comes out in favour of pill testing at music festivals – arguing that it works: ‘What happens if young people die?’

Radio presenter Ray Hadley has spoken out strongly in favor of drug testing at music festivals to see what substances they contain, warning that without them partygoers will die.

On Monday, a contingent of 20 medical, legal and welfare drug safety advocates petitioned NSW Premier Chris Minns to pilot drug screening services during this summer’s festival season.

In 2019, NSW coroner Harriet Grahame called for the introduction of pill testing in the state – which was rejected out of hand by then Premier Gladys Berejiklian.

Hadley told his Radio 2GB listeners on Tuesday that Minns was “between a rock and a hard place” when it came to pill testing, but that “when children die at these festivals, people will hold you accountable.”

“I know it’s not exactly your fault, but that’s what’s going to be said.”

Hadley said Mr. Minns is “contrary to expert opinion.

Hadley claimed the Prime Minister is delaying making a decision on drug testing because Labor is in power, despite having a minority in both the lower and upper houses of Parliament, and needs the support of other parties to pass legislation to take.

“And you cannot afford to offend those on the far left who hate pill testing, or even those on the left in your own party who hate pill testing,” he said.

“You have really responsible health care people saying you have to do it, and you say, ‘No, we’re going to have this summit.’

‘What happens if one, two, three or four young people die at the festivals during the summer as a result of not testing?

“You’re saying the police will have sniffer dogs there, they’ll do this, they’ll do that,” he said.

‘Pill testing works, that has been shown in the past, and you are going to be in favor of saying no to pill testing.

“Not a good look, Prime Minister, no luck.”

Nadine Ezard, director of the National Center for Clinical Research on Emerging Drugs, has called for immediate action on pill testing or “we will see more overdoses this summer.”

“We’re also starting to see some worrying trends in some of the stimulant drugs that can be used at festivals and parties, and some of these include opioids (which are turning out to be) a completely unexpected drug,” she said.

‘People buy in a completely unregulated market and it could be anything.

“Checking medications can change that balance at least a little, so you know a little more about what’s in that substance.”

On Monday, a contingent of 20 medical, legal and welfare drug safety advocates petitioned NSW Premier Chris Minns to test drug monitoring services. A police officer and a sniffer dog test for drugs at a music festival in Sydney

Hadley backed the medical and legal experts and quoted Professor Alison Ritter, the director of the UNSW Drug Policy Modeling Programme, who said that just because party drugs such as ecstasy may not be mixed with other substances does not mean the drug is safe.

‘With MDMA (ecstasy) there are issues with overheating, staying hydrated (and) not overhydrating.’

The radio presenter said Mr Minns had rejected calls to set up a pill testing pilot in time for the summer festival period.

“He said he would not make the decision on pill testing until his scheduled drug summit, which is unlikely to take place before the end of the first term,” he said.

Hadley’s son, Daniel, was arrested five years ago and charged with cocaine possession. The charges were dismissed on mental health grounds.