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News November 25, 2024

Pill Testing Comes to Beyond The Valley

Pill Testing Comes to Beyond The Valley

Beyond The Valley will be the first festival in Victoria to enable punters to test drugs on site.

When the four-day camping fest returns from December 28th in Barunah Plains, on Wadawurrung and Eastern Maar land, drug checking facilities will be provided, an initiative to “prioritise the health and safety” of attendees, which should number approximately 35,000, reps say.

The announcement came from the top, by way of a statement Sunday, November 24th from the Allan Labor Government.

Premier Jacinta Allan and Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt visited Melbourne Showgrounds to break the news and unveil the consortium that will deliver the mobile pill testing service, led by Youth Support and Advocacy Service, in partnership with The Loop Australia and Harm Reduction Victoria.

“This is a simple and common-sense way to save lives,” says Allan. “Let’s be clear: no drug is safe, but people deserve to know if that one pill will kill.”

A fixed pill testing site will also be established and operational by mid-2025 in inner-city Melbourne, close to nightlife and public transport, according to a press release from the state government.

A spokesperson for Untitled Group, producers of BTV and winners of the live business award at the 2024 Live Biz Breakfast, comments: “BTV has a decade-long history of working with authorities to deliver safe events. We are constantly exploring ideas, trialling new innovations and bolstering proven initiatives that increase the safety of festivalgoers, so they can have a good time and also make it home safely.”

The spokesperson adds, “We look forward to working alongside our community, health agencies, the Victorian Government, and the wider festival industry to ensure this initiative reaches and supports the right people.”

With the BTV development, Victoria becomes the second state to trial pill-testing following a program a Queensland’s Rabbit Eats Lettuce festival, presented over the Easter long weekend earlier in the year.

Talk on pill testing finally became action when, in April 2018, the Groovin the Moo festival in the Australian Capital Territory became the first to test drugs. Organisers later confirm two potentially deadly samples were identified and half the drugs tested were found to contain no psychoactive substances.

“The festival industry welcomes the first ever drug checking service being rolled out in Victoria at Beyond The Valley this new years. This will save lives,” comments Mitch Wilson, Managing Director, Australian Festival Association. The AFA “has always supported pill testing and is committed to working with the Victorian Government to have this rolled out at our member’s festivals.”

The Victorian trial follows the passing of the Drugs, Poisons and Controlled Substances Amendment (Pill Testing) Bill 2024, which made state the first jurisdiction in Australia to have dedicated legislation to support pill testing.

Alongside the Bill, the state has activated a $95 million action plan to reduce opiate drug deaths and harm now underway.

As previously reported, Ice Spice, Fisher, Royel Otis, Confidence Sugababes, Teenage Dads and many others are booked for the next edition of BTV. 

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