FDS Insight Magazine Jun - Sep 2023

20 Join the movement: Minister calls for pill testing trial in NSW Angus Thomson & Michael McGowan, Sydney Morning Herald (21/4/23) NSW minister has broken ranks to urge her Labor government colleagues to ‘join the nationwide movement’ toward pill testing at music festivals, while also suggesting controversial policing tactics such as strip searches and drug- detection dogs should be part of the promised drug summit. Youth and Homelessness Minister Rose Jackson told an international conference in Melbourne on Sunday that NSW was lagging other states on the issue of drug reform, and called on her colleagues on both sides of parliament to support a trial of the policy. Senior Labor cabinet ministers Jo Haylen (left) and Rose Jackson are both long-time advocates for drug reform. Credit: James Brickwood ‘This reform is supported by medical experts, the industry and perhaps most importantly, the families of the young people who have tragically died because our current drug laws are not working,’ she said. Jackson’s intervention comes despite Premier Chris Minns’ outward caution on drug law reform, and represents the potential for an early schism inside the new government. Despite calling in 2019 for Labor to ‘have a big debate that includes a commitment to legalising’ cannabis, Minns has poured cold water on the reform push inside his own government. He says he has since changed his views on legalising cannabis, and on Thursday said Labor does not ‘have a mandate’ to change the laws around cannabis. He dismissed the suggestion that voters who supported Labor at the election because of Jackson’s advocacy on drug reform would feel betrayed if the government did not pursue changes to the law and pointedly referred to the cabinet’s role in formulating policy. ‘I think people understand that government policy decision is made by the cabinet and the leadership of the NSW Labor Party,’ he said. ‘We’ll make the decision about drug law reform and any other policy changes in NSW. MPs are entitled to their view but it’s collective decision- making.’ But Jackson’s comments reflect the significant support for drug law reform A