The Queensland Government has passed a new bill banning illicit drug pill testing, including at festivals.
Pill testing was set up under the previous Labor Government, but the Liberal-National Party promised to overturn it before winning last year’s election.
The Government has already shut down two pill testing sites this year.
Advocates have criticised the move, calling it “reckless and dangerous”.
Pill testing
Queensland first introduced pill testing services in 2024, when it approved a site at the ‘Rabbits Eat Lettuce’ festival. Later that year, it established its first fixed pill testing site.
The then-Government allocated almost $1 million to rolling out pill testing services across the state over two years.
In the lead-up to the state election late last year, the Liberal National Party committed to scrapping pill testing services if elected.
New bill
Amendments to the state’s Health Act to ban pill testing passed on Thursday night.
The Liberal-National Government holds a majority in the state’s single house of Parliament.
Under the changes, existing pill-testing services will no longer be permitted to operate.
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The bill will also prevent the state’s Health Department from granting future approvals for similar services.
Qld Health Minister Tim Nicholls said there should be “no surprises” in the Government’s move.
“The Government’s policy position... is that there is no safe way to take drugs and that drug checking services send the wrong message to Queenslanders,” Nicholls said.
Opposition
The new changes make Qld the only jurisdiction to legally ban pill-testing services, which the Opposition has called an “ extreme step”.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles said the move ignores drug research, evidence, and experts, and “will cost lives”.
“ Pill testing is as much about getting healthcare to drug users as it is about getting dangerous, deadly pills off our streets,” Miles said.
Clinics
Not-for-profit organisation The Loop Australia, which operated Queensland's first fixed-site drug checking service, called the move “unconscionable” and “disgraceful.”
CEO Cameron Francis said the Government’s decision to ignore evidence that “pill-testing saves lives.”
“Our service saves lives by informing Queenslanders of the dangers of the drugs they are about to consume... the Crisafulli Government is removing the last line of defence against dangerous drugs in our community,” Francis said.
