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Police question drug and violence marred Rainbow Serpent Festival’s future
DRUGS and violence have marred a controversial music festival with fed-up police questioning the event’s future.
Of most concern 40 drivers who left the Rainbow Serpent Festival at Lexton in western Victoria tested positive for drugs.
Four sexual assaults, three thefts and a drink driver were also reported and two security staff allegedly assaulted.
But organisers said the figures were encouraging and reflected problems the entire community faced.
Inspector Bruce Thomas said while there were economic benefits to hosting such an event it was questionable whether they outweighed the risk to public safety.
The force will raise the issue in an event debrief with festival organisers and the local council.
“Every year we see the event take place, every year we raise our concerns and every year we are left picking up the pieces,” Insp Thomas said.
“It’s painfully obvious that there are huge direct and indirect risks to the community as a result of the behaviour that takes place at the festival.
“It was a miracle that no-one was killed on our roads given the number of drug drivers departing from the festival.
“If police didn’t intervene, these drug drivers could have easily killed someone’s child, brother, sister or parent.
“The sheer number of people who had consumed or attempted to sell drugs was frightening.
“Something has to change.”
It’s not the first time the future of the international music festival — first staged in 1998 — has come under question.
Similar calls were made in 2012 when 34-year-old festival goer Daniel Buccianti died after taking acid when the event was held at Beaufort.
Event director Tim Harvey told the Herald Sun the negative reaction from senior police did not reflect positive feedback from officers and other emergency services workers on the ground.
“They were generally impressed with the behaviour of the crowd and supportive,’’ Mr Harvey said.
“We are very proactive — we see the statistics as actually quite promising.
“We had 16,000 people at our festival. We see 40 positive tests as an encouraging indication that our message is getting out there and people are choosing to not drive with drugs in their system.
“We are a highly regarded international music, arts and lifestyle festival and just because we face the same challenges the rest of society is facing it doesn’t make sense to threaten to shut it down.
“And you certainly don’t punish 99 per cent of people who behave wonderfully and do the right thing just because of a few isolated incidents.”
The festival’s proactive work which included a harm reduction and drug reform policy seminar had also earned praise from visiting and respected emergency consultant Dr David Caldicott, Mr Harvey said.
A 31-year-old Italian man, two men aged 21 and 24 from France, and a 33-year-old Healesville man were arrested for drug trafficking at this year’s event, which concluded on Monday.
All have been charged with offences relating to trafficking a drug of dependence and drug use and possession.
The festival ran for four days with the police operation extending to January 27.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...e/news-story/2d3fb1fd10b90c30a281d85e98909f60
^ With comments.
DRUGS and violence have marred a controversial music festival with fed-up police questioning the event’s future.
Of most concern 40 drivers who left the Rainbow Serpent Festival at Lexton in western Victoria tested positive for drugs.
Four sexual assaults, three thefts and a drink driver were also reported and two security staff allegedly assaulted.
But organisers said the figures were encouraging and reflected problems the entire community faced.
Inspector Bruce Thomas said while there were economic benefits to hosting such an event it was questionable whether they outweighed the risk to public safety.
The force will raise the issue in an event debrief with festival organisers and the local council.
“Every year we see the event take place, every year we raise our concerns and every year we are left picking up the pieces,” Insp Thomas said.
“It’s painfully obvious that there are huge direct and indirect risks to the community as a result of the behaviour that takes place at the festival.
“It was a miracle that no-one was killed on our roads given the number of drug drivers departing from the festival.
“If police didn’t intervene, these drug drivers could have easily killed someone’s child, brother, sister or parent.
“The sheer number of people who had consumed or attempted to sell drugs was frightening.
“Something has to change.”
It’s not the first time the future of the international music festival — first staged in 1998 — has come under question.
Similar calls were made in 2012 when 34-year-old festival goer Daniel Buccianti died after taking acid when the event was held at Beaufort.
Event director Tim Harvey told the Herald Sun the negative reaction from senior police did not reflect positive feedback from officers and other emergency services workers on the ground.
“They were generally impressed with the behaviour of the crowd and supportive,’’ Mr Harvey said.
“We are very proactive — we see the statistics as actually quite promising.
“We had 16,000 people at our festival. We see 40 positive tests as an encouraging indication that our message is getting out there and people are choosing to not drive with drugs in their system.
“We are a highly regarded international music, arts and lifestyle festival and just because we face the same challenges the rest of society is facing it doesn’t make sense to threaten to shut it down.
“And you certainly don’t punish 99 per cent of people who behave wonderfully and do the right thing just because of a few isolated incidents.”
The festival’s proactive work which included a harm reduction and drug reform policy seminar had also earned praise from visiting and respected emergency consultant Dr David Caldicott, Mr Harvey said.
A 31-year-old Italian man, two men aged 21 and 24 from France, and a 33-year-old Healesville man were arrested for drug trafficking at this year’s event, which concluded on Monday.
All have been charged with offences relating to trafficking a drug of dependence and drug use and possession.
The festival ran for four days with the police operation extending to January 27.
http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/vi...e/news-story/2d3fb1fd10b90c30a281d85e98909f60
^ With comments.
