When tragedy struck at Defqon.1 with the overdose a 26-year-old in 2015, a father lost his son. Now, that same father has called on local leaders not to shut down the music festival.
Premier Gladys Berejiklian New South Wales has been vocal about her vow to . It was also reported that 13 festival attendees were rushed to nearby hospitals and another 700 sought medical assistance.
Nigel Pauljevic, 26, passed away after a taking ecstasy at Defqon.1 three years ago. After his friends attempted to revive him, paramedics took him to Nepean Hospital where he was pronounced dead.
“Don’t stop the festival,” Mita Pauljevic, Nigel’s father. “This is normal for kids to get together. Get rid the dealers. When these guys commit several murders, it’s mass murder. They should get life.”
In response to Pauljevic, Ms. Berejiklian , “No parent should have to endure the heartbreak losing a child to drugs.
“That is why I want to ensure dance music festivals in NSW are safe and fun for young people. Unfortunately, with four deaths in five years the Defqon.1 event does not have a good track record and we are keeping all our options open. We will do everything we can to shut this down. I don’t want to see this event happen again.”
Since the Premier’s pledge, there have been calls to hold a summit to discuss the rampant drug problems in New South Wales. In 2019, a bipartisan drug summit will be hosted patterning one held in 1999. This overdue process comes as the landscape drug paraphernalia and its spread have changed since the turn the 21st century.
Meanwhile, others have called for pill-testing to prevent the ingestion harmful dosages or substances to people who are going to consume drugs anyway. Currently, the Labor party does not support pill-testing.