Overview

• The trial marks the first government-led pill testing initiative in New South Wales, held at the Yours and Owls music festival in Wollongong.
• The program allows festival-goers to anonymously test substances for harmful components, with results provided within 10 minutes and access to health counseling.
• Despite the harm reduction focus, the presence of sniffer dogs near the festival has raised concerns about deterring attendees from using the service safely.
• The initiative follows years of advocacy and recommendations from coronial inquiries after multiple drug-related festival deaths in NSW.
• The trial is part of a year-long, $1 million pilot program across 12 festivals, with the potential to inform broader drug safety policies in the state.