New Zealand First MPs are softening their hard line on festival drug testing following a "strong push" from youth delegates at their annual general meeting.
The Government yesterday announced it will hire scientists to monitor pill testing this summer, with legalisation possibly following if the evidence backs it up.
Before the announcement, though, there had been push back from coalition partner New Zealand First. At the time, the party's law and order spokesperson Darroch Ball said drug testing could legitimise and encourage drug use .
Jenny Marcroft spoke in favour of testing while Mark Patterson was against it. (Source: Other)
However, MP Shane Jones told TVNZ1's Breakfast today their shift in perspective was about finding the balance between deterring drug use and keeping alive people who are going to do it regardless.
"There was quite a strong push from rangatahi, from our youth delegates, at our annual general conference and some of the older, you could say Neanderthal thinkers like my good self, said, 'Okay, maybe the hard line I've taken against drugs needs to be moderated.'"
He said more research would be done, but that they were supporting the police.
"I accept that the views that a number of us reflected need to be refined so when we go to the pop concerts, etcetera, we don't feed and normalise drugs but keep people alive. So we've got to get the right balance."
The inquiry into six festival deaths comes as a new poll shows strong support for legal pill testing in New Zealand. (Source: Other)
However, National is opposing the pill testing. Paula Bennett, who is the party's drug reform spokesperson, told Breakfast the only way to make sure people were not harmed by drugs is if they're not taking them.
"There is no safe illegal drug. They have their own harms and their own damages," she said, adding often young people are hurt or die of dehydration when taking pills at events.
"If they're all going out there this summer, please be safe and know that no drugs are actually safe," she warned.
"At the other end, this testing that they're looking at doing and they're going to get the scientists in to see whether it makes a difference, and I can understand them doing that, but I just want a really clear message that drugs are not safe and that there's real concerns for us with young people."
While NZ First continues to block moves, Stuart Nash says he’s looking into another option to get testing in place by summer. (Source: Other)
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