4th Dec 2018, 4:03 PM – Senate Motions - Pill Testing - Develop and implement policy

The majority voted against a motion introduced by Greens Senator Rachel Siewert (WA) at the request of Greens Senator Richard Di Natale (Vic).

Motion text

That the Senate—

(a) notes:

(i) that according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, over 10% of the population have used ecstasy and 9% have used cocaine at least once in their lives – in the past 12 months, 2.2% of Australians have used ecstasy and 2.5% have used cocaine,

(ii) that research and evaluations of international pill testing initiatives demonstrates that pill testing services:

(A) link people with health services,

(B) give health services critical information about what has been consumed, and

(C) give people more information about what is in the pills that they are taking than they otherwise have access to,

(iii) the need for all parties and independent members of the Australian Parliament to join with the Australian Greens to support a comprehensive and realistic plan to implement pill testing, both at festivals and in the community, and

(iv) that the skills and expertise exist within the Australian medical and drug and alcohol communities to deliver pill testing services; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

(i) develop and implement a pill testing policy before the summer festival season,

(ii) work with community groups and the Australian Capital Territory Government to implement existing models which demonstrably have worked and helped save lives, and

(iii) if the above action is not taken, to explain to the loved ones of people who have died or been injured their justification for not following the evidence and protecting people.