The New South Wales government should consider ceasing the use of drug detection dogs and strip-searches at music festivals, a report from a landmark summit into how to reduce drug-related harms has recommended.
However, it made no recommendation for decriminalising the possession of small quantities of drugs, despite acknowledging “substantial support” for the move.
The report, written by the summit’s co-chairs, Carmel Tebbutt and John Brogden, made 56 recommendations after the government invited experts to inform the government on how it should deal with drug-related harms over a four-day summit held in Sydney, Griffith and Lismore.
On the topic of decriminalisation, it noted there was strong support from attenders and people who made submissions to remove criminal penalties and replace them with an enhanced diversion system as part of a health – rather than criminal – approach to drugs.
However, the report said: “In comments made prior to the drug summit, the premier made it clear he did not believe the government had a mandate for decriminalisation and it was not on the government’s agenda.”
The health minister, Ryan Park, came under fire during the summit after he ruled out NSW following the ACT’s lead and decriminalising the possession of small quantities of drugs before recommendations had been handed down.
In a speech after the comments, Prof Dan Howard said the government did have a mandate for decriminalisation, which came from the consensus among all peak expert bodies and prior reports including his own, the 2020 special commission of inquiry into the drug “ice”.
The report recommended the government cease the use of drug detection dogs and strip-searches for suspected drug detection at music festivals where the pill-testing trials were under way. The report asked the government to consider extending that ban to all music festivals.
Sam Lee, a supervising solicitor at Redfern Legal Centre, welcomed the recommendation, telling Guardian Australia after the report was released that the evidence shows the use of drug dogs and strip-searches increases risky behaviour such as preloading.
“To keep the community safe, strip-searches and drug dogs should be banned completely for suspicion of minor drug possession – not just at music [festivals],” she said.
The report also recommended that the government legislate that people can mount a “medical defence” that is either assessed by police at the roadside or by a court for people who are medically prescribed cannabis caught under the influence while driving.
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It has also recommended releasing within 12 months a 10-year strategy to reduce drug-related harms, significantly increase funding and extend funding contracts for services to five years.
The report included four recommendations for Aboriginal social and emotional wellbeing and cultural safety, including prioritising Aboriginal-led prevention.
Park said on Wednesday upon releasing the report that “not everyone agreed on everything, but we sought to have every voice listened to”.
“It sought to reflect the many different parts of our community touched by this challenge – healthcare, justice, housing, social services and those disproportionately impacted by illicit drugs,” he said.
“The government will now carefully consider these findings and respond in due course.”
