As State Parliament returns on Thursday, budget matters and public sector wages policy are expected to again dominate question time.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
On Wednesday, Police Minister Rene Hidding ruled out pill testing at music festivals, and the Greens said he’s out of touch.
The testing of ecstasy pills at festivals was a feature of the Greens alternative budget.
Greens MP Rosalie Woodruff asked Mr Hidding in Parliament on Wednesday whether the government supported the policy.
Mr Hidding said the government “will not provide quality assurance for drug pushers”.
Dr Woodruff said the comment showed Mr Hidding did not understand the safe drugs policy.
“His ideology is at odds with good health policy, parents' concerns and the views of the Police Association,” Dr Woodruff said.
“The war on drugs doesn’t work, and it won’t stop festival overdoses or deaths.
“Young people have always indulged in risky behaviour, and they always will.”
She said a law and order approach did not work.
“It just leads eventually to hospitalisations and, in the worst cases, to death.”
The Police Association has expressed support for the policy, but said it was not the role of police to conduct the testing.