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Ravers urged to adopt new code
By Bianca Wordley
December 30, 2004
The Australian
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).
Link
By Bianca Wordley
December 30, 2004
The Australian
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).
Link
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