Festival deaths enrage Premier
NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian has vowed to shutdown Sydney music festival Defqon.1 after a series of suspected drug overdoses left two young people dead and another three fighting for their lives.
A Victorian woman, 21, and a Sydney man, 23, died after collapsing at the event at Penrith on Saturday.
Three people, including a 19-year-old man, are critically ill in hospital, while 700 of the 30,000 attendees were treated by medical staff, police say.
“I’m absolutely aghast at what’s occurred. I don’t want any family to go through the tragedy that some families are waking up to this morning,” the Premier said yesterday.
“This is an unsafe event and I’ll be doing everything I can to make sure it never happens again.”
Police said a Jamisontown woman, 26, remains in a critical condition at Nepean hospital, while the 19-year-old man from Artarmon was flown to Westmead Hospital and is in intensive care.
A Newcastle man is also critically ill, while more than a dozen people were treated at Nepean hospital for drug-related issues.
Toxicology reports are expected within a week to uncover exactly what drugs, if any, were taken by those who fell ill.
Acting Assistant Commissioner Allan Sicard said 180 police were at the event and had worked with organisers to try to keep revellers safe.
Greens MP David Shoebridge said the police presence at the festival was aggressive and called for festivals to introduce pill-testing, amnesty bins and other harm minimisation measures.
“We can’t keep repeating past mistakes,” he said.
Defqon.1 organisers, having dealt with multiple deaths in the event’s 10-year history, warned ticket holders the festival’s drug policy was zero tolerance. GLADYS BEREJIKLIAN
“This means that all types of soft and hard drugs are prohibited. If drugs are found, you will be handed over to the police,” a statement on the festival’s website said.
Police say 10 people were charged with drug supply offences, including two 17-yearold girls who allegedly carried 120 capsules “internally” into the venue.
Ecstasy, cocaine and GHB were among the drugs confiscated from 69 people at the festival, which was held at the Sydney International Regatta Centre.
Local detectives have formed a new police strikeforce, dubbed Highworth, to investigate the two deaths.
THIS IS AN UNSAFE EVENT AND I’LL BE DOING EVERYTHING I CAN TO MAKE SURE IT NEVER HAPPENS AGAIN
Competition commences 14/09/18 at 00:01am (AEST) and concludes 7/10/18 at 11:59pm (AEST). Winners will be drawn on 8/10/2018 at 10:00am (AEST). Total prize pool is valued at $59,700 (Inc. GST). For full competition terms and conditions visit goldcoastbulletin.com.au/competitions. NSW permit No. LTPM/17/02038