Hundreds visited these drug checking sites, but a review into them will stay secret
The data formed part of an evaluation report published by The Loop on Thursday, after the state government again refused to make public the findings of an independent, taxpayer-funded study.
The Loop's evaluation found nearly 700 visitors to the CheQpoint sites at Bowen Hills and Burleigh Heads, which operated for a few hours, one day a week, for about a year before they were defunded by the new LNP government and closed in April.
About 600 of these were presentations for drug testing, including 444 from Brisbane.
The former Labor government launched the pill testing initiative promising there would be an independent University of Queensland evaluation of the service after 12 months.
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The study was completed and submitted at the end of March. But despite pressure from advocates and health officials, the state government has not made it public.
The Loop Australia, the not-for-profit organisation that delivered the service, said a formal Right to Information request lodged in June had been denied on the grounds the evaluation would be considered by cabinet, effectively keeping the findings secret.
A spokeswoman for Health and Ambulance Services Minister Tim Nicholls confirmed the report was before cabinet.
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Hundreds visited these drug checking sites, but a review into them will stay secret
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The Age
2 days ago
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Hundreds visited these drug checking sites, but a review into them will stay secret
About one in 10 samples tested by Queensland's first permanent pill testing sites contained drugs people were not expecting or wanting to find, a report from the organisation running the sites has revealed. The data formed part of an evaluation report published by The Loop on Thursday, after the state government again refused to make public the findings of an independent, taxpayer-funded study. The Loop's evaluation found nearly 700 visitors to the CheQpoint sites at Bowen Hills and Burleigh Heads, which operated for a few hours, one day a week, for about a year before they were defunded by the new LNP government and closed in April. About 600 of these were presentations for drug testing, including 444 from Brisbane. The former Labor government launched the pill testing initiative promising there would be an independent University of Queensland evaluation of the service after 12 months. Loading The study was completed and submitted at the end of March. But despite pressure from advocates and health officials, the state government has not made it public. The Loop Australia, the not-for-profit organisation that delivered the service, said a formal Right to Information request lodged in June had been denied on the grounds the evaluation would be considered by cabinet, effectively keeping the findings secret. A spokeswoman for Health and Ambulance Services Minister Tim Nicholls confirmed the report was before cabinet.
