Drug use at music festivals has become a public safety concern in NSW, one that has led to a number of deaths in recent years. This paper provides an overview of the main recommendations of the Expert Panel report entitled Keeping People Safe at Music Festivals, released by the NSW Government on 24 October 2018.

Those reforms, all of which were accepted by the NSW Government in principle, embrace a multifaceted approach of regulatory reform, increased criminal law deterrence and harm reduction. The recommendations relating to deterrence include a new on-the-spot fine for drug possession at music festivals and a new offence of supply drug causing death. Those two reforms are examined in detail. In light of ongoing calls for a trial of pill testing at music festivals, this e-brief also presents recent evidence on the efficacy of pill testing.