• 🇳🇿 🇲🇲 🇯🇵 🇨🇳 🇦🇺 🇦🇶 🇮🇳
    Australian & Asian
    Drug Discussion

    Welcome Guest!
    Posting Rules Bluelight Rules
  • AADD Moderators: swilow | Vagabond696

NEWS: [Herald Sun] 30/12/2004 : ' Ravers urged to adopt new code'

hoptis

hoptis

Bluelight Crew
Joined
May 1, 2002
Messages
11,083
Ravers urged to adopt new code
By Bianca Wordley
30 Dec 2004

DANCE party operators in Victoria have been urged to adopt a new code of practice aimed at making raves safer.

The Victorian Government today released what it says is Australia's most comprehensive code of practice for running safer dance parties.

The code is voluntary and is not enforceable.

State Parliamentary Secretary for Health, Daniel Andrews, said the code was a collaborative effort of the state government, police, Metropolitan Ambulance Service, the entertainment community and other interested groups.

"I think this code of practice stands apart on the basis that we've had a really positive partnership from a whole range of different stakeholders," Mr Andrews said.

"We are confident that it will be taken up by a whole range of large and small events."

He said the code was an effective tool for making events safer and covered a whole range of issues including fire safety, emergency services, checklists and risk management strategies.

The code includes guidelines on how many toilets to have on site, the use of strobe lights, the supply of free or cheap cold water, ensuring there was adequate shade and shelter, and allocating chill-out zones.

It also sets out how many medical staff, security personnel and police should be on-site.

Managing director of Future Entertainment, which is putting on the New Year's Day dance party, Summadayze, Jason Ayoubi, said the code would ensure greater safety for patrons and provided an all encompassing checklist for operators.

Mr Ayoubi said one area of focus was the consumption of illegal drugs.

"We are living in a world where drugs are prevalent and from that end we need to have a harm minimisation policy on site," he said.

He said that at this Saturday's event in Melbourne, which was expected to attract 25,000 people, there would be free drinking water and chill-out zones.

Patrons would be searched for drugs before entering the site, he said.

Also, at the dance party would be 30 police, 150 security personnel, 30 medical staff and an ambulance.

The issue of dance party safety has been high on the agenda of operators, police, government and drug support agencies.

Earlier this year, Victoria police held talks with rave organisers and the Department of Human Services in a bid to stop the ever-increasing use of dangerous drugs at dance parties.

The decision to meet with operators followed an incident during a huge Melbourne rave party in March this year in which 10 people, one in a critical condition, were taken to hospital after overdosing on the drug Gamma-Hydroxybutyrate (GHB).
Click to expand...

From Herald Sun
 
"We are living in a world where drugs are prevalent and from that end we need to have a harm minimisation policy on site," he said.
Click to expand...

Patrons would be searched for drugs before entering the site, he said.
Click to expand...

^^ isnt that more a drug prevention policy?

well atleast the journo got GHB right :)
 
shoddy journalism aside i think this is definately a step in the right direction, in particualr the encouragement of free or cheap drinking water. It would be nice if the water situation was pushed to clubs - often you will not be given a glass of water for free and you have to buy a 250ml bottle for like $4. Bullshit
 
psy_taco: I know at least in NSW it is illegal for a pub/club/restaurant/anywhere with a liquor license to refuse you free water.

On 2 July, the Liquor Amendment (Drinking Water) Regulation 2004, Registered Clubs Amendment (Drinking Water) Regulation 2004, and the Casino Control Amendment (Drinking Water) Regulation 2004 commenced, and will replace existing requirements for free or reasonably priced drinking water to be available. From 1 August 2004, every licensed venue will be required to have free drinking water available at all times liquor is sold or supplied for consumption on the premises.
Click to expand...
(bold added for emphasis)
(Source)
 
Last edited:
Same as QLD but some clubs still refuse you if they sell water for $4 or $5 and run hot-water taps.

I'm interested in the searching. I remember at Mayhem @Brisbane (the first time I've really seen searching at a rave) they asked you to empty your pockets and show the insides of them out. Then they patted you up and down for weapons I was guessing after you got the wand. But it seemed they weren't only just looking for drugs (for those who didn't sock them, I was tripping on 2ce and got paranoid and hid my drugs under my nutsack.. heh), they were stopping people from bringing chewing/bubble gum and cigarettes in, although you could buy cigarettes inside, but not gum. Bit weird... although I have seen someone hide caps inside cigarettes at a rave before.

Anywho instead of having the ticket lines delayed by hours, why not fricking just use Eathcores approach to HR. People that have untested drugs can have them EZ Tested to get an idea what they are.
 
I was at Field Day yesterday and only seen one or two "free" water taps in the entire place (perhaps there were more, but I didn't see them)

and water was $4/bottle, I was under the impression that places have to sell water at a reasonable price now, because otherwise it's against the law?
 
Earlier this year, Victoria police held talks with rave organisers and the Department of Human Services in a bid to stop the ever-increasing use of dangerous drugs at dance parties.
Click to expand...

Stop.... yeah right.

Do what they can to minimise the harm associated with drug use (all of it being somewhat dangerous). would have a been a better way to put it.
 
Mr Ayoubi said one area of focus was the consumption of illegal drugs.
"We are living in a world where drugs are prevalent and from that end we need to have a harm minimisation policy on site," he said.

Source
Click to expand...

The issue of pill testing is not tackled in the code.
Summadayze organiser Jason Ayoubi yesterday expressed opposition to introducing testing.
"Drugs are prevalent and we do need to have harm minimisation policies on site (but testing) would seem to promote the use of drugs, rather than educating people not to use them," he said.

Source
Click to expand...

It baffles me how you can claim to be a harm minimisation activist yet be against academic research which shows that pill testing doesn't increase drug use, it actually decreases it. In addition it provides a point at which communication and education can occur.

Keep stuffing your pockets with cash raised from drug takers which you know full well attend your events in large numbers, yet turn a blind eye without any strategy in place and positively promote yourself as antidrug.

As a side note I personally believe pill testing was intentionally omitted as research and international experience has shown it has such great potential, and politically it is not yet ready to be adopted. The journey continues.
 
rather than educating people not to use them
Click to expand...
Someone really needs to remind Jason what harm minimisation is about. He's obviously trying to fool the police into thinking that his events don't actively encourage new people to experiment with drugs - anyone who's attended a Future event can attest that there are more first-timers than at many other events.

IMO Jason is a hypocrite of the highest order; Future have constantly flip-flopped on their harm min status, at the whim of the media. It's a huge shame when so much progress is being made on other fronts.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top