Drug test politicians: Sydney councillor
A Sydney councillor wants all NSW politicians to lead by example and be drug tested on the job as debate rages about pill testing at music festivals.
Liberal Pat Daley will move a motion at Northern Beaches council's next meeting in February to introduce drug tests for all councillors and staff.
The former NSW Police officer and Salvation Army campaigner is calling on Premier Gladys Berejiklian to do the same at NSW Parliament House.
While applauding her tough stance against drugs and opposition to pill testing following several deaths at music festivals, he wants her take it further.
"We need our elected representatives to undergo drug testing in parliament and we should have more drug testing much more in workplaces," he said on Wednesday.
He says politicians have been "wishy-washy" in their language around drug use and need to stop using the terms "party and recreational" drugs.
"I'm calling for education and a much tougher stance with our rhetoric," he said.
"There is no safe way to take drugs - that is the clear message we should be telling young people."
Cr Daley is worried the debate around pill testing could lead to a normalisation of dangerous drugs that "make alcohol look like an afternoon tea party".
Meanwhile, former Australian Federal Police commissioner Mick Palmer said five drug-related festival deaths across Australia were "enough" and governments needed to consider pill testing in a bid to save lives.
"When are we going to learn that threats and our current "Just Say No" campaign are not working and cannot work?" he said in a statement.
A 22-year-old Queensland man died after going to the Lost Paradise Music Festival at Glenworth Valley north of Sydney on Saturday night, while a 20-year-old Victorian man died in hospital on Tuesday following a suspected overdose at the Beyond The Valley festival also on Saturday.
At the Field Day festival in Sydney's The Domain on New Year's Day, NSW Police charged 194 people with drug offences, including six people for drug supply, 155 people as part of the drug dog operation and a further 39 people as part of the overall operation.