Friday, 28 August 2026

 Ingrid STITT (Western Metropolitan – Minister for Health, Minister for Mental Health, Minister for Ambulance Services, Special Minister of State) (12:16): I rise to update the house on how our government’s pill-testing service is saving lives and reducing drug harms for all Victorians. We are seeing a significant increase in drug harms, with the drug market increasingly volatile and a rise in dangerous synthetic substances. Our Victorian pill-testing service is an important part of our efforts to reduce these harms. Since we opened the fixed site in Fitzroy one year ago more than 3000 Victorians have accessed this service, with almost 40 per cent saying it was the first time they had spoken to a health professional about their drug use. More than 5000 drug samples have been tested, with more than 2500 conversations held between service users and our experienced harm reduction workers, highlighting the strong demand across the community for trusted, non-judgemental health advice.

The intelligence gathered from this service is also helping to strengthen Victoria’s current drug surveillance efforts. Around 12 per cent of samples tested contained an unexpected psychoactive substance with the potential to cause serious harm. The fixed site has issued 28 drug notifications warning the community about dangerous substances, including two urgent alerts for nitazenes. We know that no drug is ever truly safe, but Victorians deserve to have all the information possible to help them make better, safer and more informed decisions.

The evidence behind pill testing is clear: it saves lives and reduces harm. On this side of the chamber we know that pill testing is absolutely about saving lives, on this side of the chamber we are committed to this service, but what about those opposite? They voted against this life-saving service, and they have said that they will shut it down the first chance that they get.