Greens leader Richard di Natale renews calls for safe pill testing
The Greens have made a renewed appeal to introduce safe pill testing.
Around 20 people were hospitalised on the weekend, and three people died, due to a contaminated batch of the drug MDMA.
It has prompted Greens leader Richard di Natale to push once again for testing to be available for those who want to take drugs.
Mr di Natale, who was a GP before entering politics, told Tom Elliott it will save lives.
‘If you’ve got a young kid who makes a bad decision, do you think they should have to pay for it with their life? I don’t,’ he said.
‘My response would be to introduce a regime of pill-testing that is done through a health framework.
‘If we can actually weed out the most toxic and harmful substances, I actually think we have a responsibility to do that.’
Mr di Natale said it would one of the few chances for drug-takers to speak to health professionals, who can give them all the information on the risks involved.
The Greens Senator also said there’s a simple test to the problem of politicians exploiting their taxpayer-funded entitlements.
‘If it’s work, and that’s your purpose for the visit, then fine,’ he said.
‘But if it’s going to the polo or if it’s building your investment portfolio, don’t claim it.’
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