No pill testing at Spilt Milk music festival in Canberra

The first trial of pill testing at an Australian music festival has been scrapped after Spilt Milk failed to get the controversial idea across the line.

Spilt Milk 2017 announced this week it was forced to cancel pill testing because a safety organisation failed to submit crucial documents in time. 

‘It’s a tough day when something you have advocated for so strongly can’t quite make it over the line,’ Spilt Milk said on its Facebook.

‘We are hugely disappointed as Spilt Milk strongly supports pill testing as a harm minimisation measure.’

The festival, due to go ahead on November 25 in Canberra, announced acts including Lorde, Alison Wonderland and Vance Joy this year.

Following months of negotiations with Safety Testing Advisory Service, the pill testing trial was approved by the Australian Capital Territory Government in September. 

Following months of negotiations with Safety Testing Advisory Service, the pill testing trial was approved by the Australian Capital Territory Government in September

The festival, due to go ahead on November 25 in Canberra, announced acts including Lorde, Alison Wonderland and Vance Joy this year

In a statement released this week, festival organisers said the Safety Testing Advisory Service at Festivals and Events (STA-SAFE) failed to submit planning, risk assessment, insurance and legal documents in time.

STA-SAFE denied they were at fault.

‘As far as I know we provided all documentation necessary,’ he told Hack.

‘We haven’t been consulted, we really don’t know what this is all about.’

Despite the confusion, Spilt Milk said it would continue to work alongside STA-SAFE to ready pill testing for next year.