NSW festival death inquest could include earlier fatalities

The inquest into the deaths of five patrons at NSW music festivals since September might expand to include two earlier EDM festival deaths in 2015 and 2017 to get a more accurate picture.

The decision will be made by next month, with hearings to begin in earnest by June.

A directions hearing before Glebe Coroners Court yesterday was told that the circumstances of each death were different, in terms of the amount of drugs consumed and the purity of the MDMA pill involved.

The coroner’s office pointed out that these ranged from death from one pill to another fatality caused by a man who took six to nine pills which had a very high MDMA purity of 77%.

Alcohol was present in some deaths but not in others. Not all five had asked for on-site medical attention.

The inquest will look at whether there were enough medical services, shade and water at the festivals.

Promoters and families of the dead would also be asked to tender evidence, as will NSW Health and NSW Police.

Counsel assisting the coroner, Dr. Peggy Dwyer, told the NSW Coroners Court that the aim of the inquest was to prevent further deaths.

“To that end, a Coroner may make recommendations that are considered necessary or desirable, in order to prevent similar deaths occurring in the future.,” she said.

Pill-testing advocates are clearly hoping that green-lighting the trials will be one of the recommendations.