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Festival deaths

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Instagram posted photo of Lore Solaris.

‘Shaman’ charged after frog toxin, ayahuasca death at wellness retreat

“Shamanic movement” leader Soulore Solaris led ceremonies and allegedly administered psychedelics at the NSW retreat.

  • Jack Gramenz

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The burn begins at the end of Burning Man 2023.

Man’s death at Burning Man festival prompts homicide investigation

The victim, whose identity was unknown, was found “lying in a pool of blood”, officials said.

  • Johnny Diaz
NSW Labor MP Cameron Murphy has urged the premier to urgently trial pill testing at music festivals.

NSW Labor MP speaks out in support over pill testing

Cameron Murphy has split with premier Chris Minns over pill testing, saying an urgent trial over the summer festival season could save lives.

  • Max Maddison
Nineteen-year-old Alex Ross-King, left, died after consuming MDMA at FOMO festival and her mum Jennie Ross-King.

'Lots of parents scared': mother of music festival reveller who died takes control

Jennie Ross-King, the mother of music festival reveller Alex Ross-King, is launching a social media blitz urging parents to talk to their children about drug use.

  • Angus Thompson
Central Coast teenager Alex Ross-King, 19, is one of six revellers whose deaths were investigated by an inquest.

Festival deaths spark review of high school health curriculum

The review comes as the Berejiklian government announced the roll-out of drug amnesty bins at music festivals, in a move harm reduction experts said would have little-to-no impact on drug risks.

  • Angus Thompson and Pallavi Singhal
A Compact FTIR Spectrometer pill testing machine is seen during a demonstration event at Parliament House in Canberra.

No pill-testing trial for Queensland music festival season

An emergency doctor has warned more Queensland festival revellers could fall victim to deadly drugs masked as party pills. 

  • Lydia Lynch
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Ms Berejiklian rejected accusations she was failing to show leadership on the issue of pill testing.

Premier reiterates opposition to pill testing after music festival death

"Let's not pretend that pill testing would have saved these lives," NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian said on Monday.

  • Natassia Chrysanthos
Dr Jennifer Stevens is one of 27 senior clinicians from St Vincents Hospital who wrote an open letter to the premier, urging the government to trial pill testing and scrap the use of strip-searching for drug possession.

Frontline doctors urge Premier to trial pill testing, end strip searches for drugs

The senior experts from Sydney's frontline hospital for drug and alcohol admissions said the Premier should look at the evidence.

  • Rachel Clun
Deputy State Coroner Harriet Grahame.

Coroner urges law and order retreat as police commissioner hits back

NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said suggestions his officers contributed to deaths at music festivals would be "strongly defended" after a coroner called for a major roll-back of police powers.

  • Angus Thompson and Alexandra Smith
NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said he will "strongly" defend any suggestion his officers contributed to the deaths of six young festival-goers.

NSW Police Commissioner hits back at coroner's findings

Police Commissioner Mick Fuller said any suggestion his officers contributed to the deaths of six revellers will be "strongly defended by me."

  • Angus Thompson