Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (12:03): My question is for the minister representing the Minister for Health. On 29 April the Coroners Court handed down its findings into the death of Mr S, who was 20 years of age. He died on 28 June 2020, and I would like to extend my sincere condolences to Mr S’s family. Mr S died of mixed-drug toxicity. Coroner Gebert’s principal recommendations flowing from this inquest were that she was satisfied that:
… a drug checking service and drug early warning system are necessary elements of any strategy to reduce these harms.
She recommended:
… pursuant to section 7(2) of the Act:
That the Department of Health, as the appropriate arm of the Victorian Government, implements a drug checking service in the State of Victoria as a matter of urgency, to reduce the number of preventable deaths (and nonfatal harms) associated with the use of drugs obtained from unregulated drug markets.
So my question to the minister is—
The PRESIDENT: Your question is out of time, Ms Patten. Please watch the clock, ladies and gentlemen and good members.
Ms PATTEN: Thank you, President. I appreciate that. My question for the minister is: will he heed this recommendation and implement drug checking in Victoria?
Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:04): I thank Ms Patten for her question. I think we could get the question from the tone of what you were asking about, and I too would extend my condolences to Mr S’s family.
The issues you raise are very important, and I will get an answer from the Minister for Health in relation to that.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan Region
Question without notice 25/5/22