The Minns Labor Government has announced a $4.3 million commitment to continue drug checking services at selected NSW music festivals from October 2026, following a successful 12-month trial and independent evaluation.
The independent evaluation, led by the University of Sydney, found the drug checking trial was effective in reducing risks and harms associated with illicit drug use for festival attendees.
The trial, which was free and anonymous, allowed festival-goers to bring a small sample of substances they intended to consume to qualified health staff to test for purity, potency and adulterants.
Over the course of the trial, more than 1,800 individuals visited the services and around 1,500 drug samples were tested.
The evaluation found the drug checking service had strong uptake among festival attendees and was associated with a reduction in urgent drug-related hospital presentations and ICU admissions compared with previous years at the same music festivals.
Illicit drugs remain illegal in NSW. The NSW Government has reiterated that there will always be risks involved in consuming these substances and that drug checking does not represent an endorsement of illicit drug use.
The service does not eliminate these risks. Instead, it aims to help people make safer and more informed choices by connecting them with qualified health staff who can provide harm reduction advice.
A majority of people who used the service reported they had not previously engaged with health or harm reduction services, providing an opportunity to communicate the risks associated with drug use before substances were consumed.
The independent evaluation also found the trial changed approaches to drug taking, particularly where substances differed from what service users expected.
NSW Health will now consult with the music festival industry and harm reduction organisations to identify up to 15 music festivals per year to participate in the program.
Participating festivals will be selected based on characteristics associated with a higher probability of drug-related harm, including the type, size and location of the festival.
Drug checking will be delivered by NSW Health in partnership with NUAA, formerly the NSW Users and AIDS Association, and the music festival industry.
The service allows festival attendees to voluntarily submit a small sample of illicit drugs for on-site analysis by chemists from the NSW Health Pathology Forensic & Analytical Science Service.
Results are explained to service users by qualified and experienced peer workers from NUAA, who provide harm reduction advice to help participants make informed decisions about their health. Amnesty bins will also be available within the drug checking space for people who choose to safely dispose of their drugs.
Since the 2024 Drug Summit, the NSW Government has worked with multiple agencies to address a number of recommendations, including:
- Making support more inclusive and accessible to culturally diverse communities, including Aboriginal communities, the LGBTIQIA+ community and young people;
- Improving access to mental health services;
- Researching pharmacotherapies for methamphetamine use disorder;
- Backing prevention and early intervention programs, and prioritising the first 2,000 days of a child’s life;
- Ensuring health professionals receive alcohol and other drug education and training that includes trauma-informed care and addresses stigma and discrimination;
- Ensuring NSW Health continues to work with schools on awareness and support;
- Bolstering the alcohol and other drug workforce; and
- Ensuring access to the Opioid Treatment Program and needle and syringe programs across the state.
Minister for Health Ryan Park said drug checking was not a “silver bullet” and stressed that no level of illicit drug use was safe, but said the service could reduce harm and help save lives.
Minister for Youth Rose Jackson said the program gave young people an opportunity to connect with trained health workers, receive trusted advice and better understand the risks associated with the substances they may be considering taking.
The ongoing drug checking program will begin at selected NSW music festivals from October 2026.
To learn more about the Drug Summit and the NSW Government’s response visit https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/aod/summit/Pages/default.aspx
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