Bonus: Premier Jacinta Allan Defends Pill Testing Trial

Jason Lauren on No.

One hundred.

Let's say hello to our next guest. Alone quint is here, and.

Our next guest is the longest serving female minister in Victorian State history.

It's not lost on me that I am only the second woman to lead this stage, and that is also comes with some emotion.

Please welcome to the show, the premiere Victoria just Center.

Ellen, Hey, good morning morning, good morning.

Thank you for driving down from Bendigo this morning.

Well, Benny Goes a beautiful part of the world, but it's great, great to be here with you this morning.

One of my very best friends, Anna bern is from Bendy Go. So I love Bendygo.

So do we don't we? Quinn?

We do? Just yeah, we've did.

You don't have history. You knew each other from us.

Say history. Let's just let's just get things straight. So I was a reporter at win TV back as a twenty year old. Twenty one year old. You're a baby too, you're a you're a minister at the time, you're member for Benny Go.

So we did a lot of interviews up the books.

We've known him since he was a rat bag.

He was a lovely young fellow Yes, I loved. I loved interviews with Clint. We do a bit of fun off camera.

We did. We were and look at you.

Now doing well.

He's a he's so happy.

We were great nature.

Yeah, can we call you we.

Transferable.

I was devastated when we found out you're coming from Bend to go this morning, that we didn't give you the heads up to swing past the bakery and bringing a couple of snot blocks.

I know how to do it, so snot blocks and.

Pies malms Bree. That was always a good hot spot.

I have a theory about bakeries and Country Victoria, particularly if you're a parent with young kids. A good bakery, good public facility, good playground, that's the hot spot. That's the sweet spot on the town, isn't it.

Yeah, say that pubs need to get their head around playgrounds put playground.

We grew up at pubs with my parents, and they were pubs where I wouldn't even see them for what felt like days because I was in the ballpit and going down the slide of the matter.

You know what, Pokey's and Gastros killed all that time. Hey, let's talk some serious stuff. Yesterday we dedicated about forty five minutes on the show. Because it really blew up about pill testing here in Victoria. You have come out and supported and given the green light to doing a trial. The calls were sort of mixed. There was a lot of positive opinions.

I think it's absolutely brilliant and well passed due. It's something that they do in the.

UK, in the loop in the UK do it already everywhere. There was also some people that were saying, why provide pill testing to people for an illegal substance.

Yeah, there's a concern that it's illegal and in essence some people feel like that is encouraging people to go and take drugs.

Yeah.

Well, look, I want to be absolutely clear there is no safe level of drug taking and illicit drugs remain exactly that just illegal. But it also reflects the announcement yesterday around pill testing reflex reality. The reality is if doesn't just have to be a young person, a person of any age rocks up to a music festival and if they've got a pill in their hand, they're intending to take it. They're intending to take it. Like that's

You have pill testing.

And it's not just the actual testing of the pill that provides advice on the substance and what's in it and some of the toxic chemicals that are in it. It's also the health conversation you can have at the same time, no judgment, just the facts about this is what's in it, this is what it can do to you. Do you really want to take it? And what we know from evidence where this is already happening, is that people are more likely not to take the drug. This

And that's really more considered it is.

And this is where you know, if you'd asked me years ago, if young Clint stand Away had asked me and Bendigo years ago my views on this, I probably would say I'm not partolar.

Have you had a change part because I know that Dan Andrews was supposed to it.

Yeah, well I really have.

And as I said years ago, I probably would have said, now I'm not that not that keen on it. But you know, becoming a parent changes a lot of things that might change, right, chose a lot of things. I've got a couple of young kids.

Yeah, and as they get older and their friends are going out and partying and going to festivals and going to parties.

That's exactly right.

My husband and we talk about this all the time, Like, you want kids, You want your young kids to go and have a great time to explore the world, but you want to do it safely. And as I think about the sort of world do you want your kids to go into. Knowing that we have a health focused approach and a pill testing approach that can make a difference, why wouldn't we go down this path?

Also, like you're saying, say someone rocks up at a music festival with a pill, they're intending to take it. There's also that that demographic of people who are starting to get peer pressure into that environment as well, and if they've got the option to find out what's in it, it might be enough to not go through with it.

It is And I've talked to other parents about this, you know, I've got nieces and nephews as well as kids. You talk to talk to people all the time about a range of things. But I've also spoken recently to other parents as well, and one mum said to me, young people are smart and they just deserve the information, and that's great.

That's it.

You know, you've got to give people information. This is the other I think really positive outcome from this approach is that, and the evidence tells us this as well. When the pills tested, people will tell other people what's in it, So I got that ripple effects.

Also. One of our listeners brought up a really good point yesterday. It's going to affect the dealers as well. It was going to blunt in there blackart one hundred percent. It'll kill the black market because if they're providing dodgy stuff, that word's going to get out and no one's going to be buying from them.

So we mentioned the history of this, and it's worth noting again that the government has been opposed to it in the past. So why the change of hearts so suddenly because it was there? What was the I know it's an amotive issue, but you know twelve months ago Dan was vehemently opposed and now and now you're saying no where where we're for it, We're going to enact this trial.

Look, I've spoken about how my own personal views have changed over a number of years, and then it became premier at the end of September last year, and then we had over summer we had paramedics, Victorian paramedics turn out across a three month period to more overdoses than they did for all of last year.

Symington, there was a whole range here.

There was Plemington, there was the festival at at New Harsham, which also had some challenges. And so when you again consider that, consider the impact it's having not just on people individually, but on our health system, the pressure it puts on our health system. We took some time to look at again evidence, fact, get data, talk to experts, but also importantly to talk to families as well, which is how we've arrived at the decision we announced yesterday.

And what has the response been for you on that decision, Because yesterday when we opened the phones, I honestly thought it would be overwhelmingly positive, but it was a pretty much fifty to fifty split. And the people who are against it, which I can understand, right because some people just don't want you know, drugs are illegal they're llegal to take. Why are we doing something that is encouraging

Yeah, look, and I respect you know, you've got to absolutely listen and respect to different views. But for me, it's come down to the fact that this is a reality and we have the power.

We know what works. We know what works from.

Reducing harm providing factual, non judgmental information to people who are already intending to use that substance. If we've got the power to give that information to reduce harm, to potentially save a life, why wouldn't we do this. That's really how we've come to this decision.

We are on the air of the Premier just sent to Alan this morning. We're talking the pill testing trial. Just since you can, I ask you an honest question, have you done drugs in your life?

I got asked this question last year sometime last year, and I'd said it was a long long time ago. There was a cannabis a long long time ago. But again I don't want this to.

Up for the reason I asked, because there was an issue. It got brought up yes now, and it's so true. This isn't just about it's not just music festivals. The clubs are packed with people. If you think drugs aren't getting circulated, you've got your head in the sand.

It's not just pills, and it isn't no.

And so again.

But it is about for me looking at the evidence, and for me, that's really important. It's always been important in whatever ministerial or portfolio role I've had for a long period of time. Listening to experts and taking on evidence is just so important.

So this is just a trial.

Well, I want to make this, Is this really clear? We're not trialing to see if it does or doesn't happen. We plan to bring pill testing into Victoria. It's a trial to see what model works best.

Is it happening in other states? We're behind Queensland.

Queensland have a trial, a CT have done a trial, and I think have got it more on a more permanent basis.

For the digital licenses and now the.

The digital lift that takes so long.

It takes so long, that's cute, Like I'd be carded. Hey it's just gone eight thirty. You happen to hang around after the break just quickly, there's there's something we want to bring up with you, a much lighter topic, but we want to get you away, and I guess you're on the air with Jason Lauren Clint here from the newsroom and Premier.

Premire just like Miley Don't that's terrible singing?

Whoever did that?

Just quickly? Because I noticed when Dan will do the round, I mean it was a different world back then, but he had to travel with a bit of security. You got the popo traveling with you these days? Can you run some reds?

I've got some.

We don't run reads, no, we follow every road rule. But now I've got I've got the team.

Here are you?

It's an amazing job.

How you been in now?

What's the end of September?

Lusty, so nine months?

I think I just said to you before.

You must be glad to be the Premier now and not five years ago, four years ago? Have a long ago that was it feels.

You covid Field. It's a lifetime ago, but also so not that far away.

Look at it any time is there's alwaysallenges because we're a big and busy state, really big and busy state.

It's a really exciting job.

It's challenging. The best bit about it is really getting out and talking to people and meeting people's and listening and following through on their issues.

That's really the best bit.

Bodyguards to threaten the kids.

The kids are more interested in the bodyguards.

Premiers is such a big deal now, Like pre Dan, I didn't know who the premier were?

Who was it?

Pre Dan? It was Value.

I wouldn't have.

Even known it. Do you know who the premier was before? Anastacia Polo shape Clmbell Newman.

I think for a week well done.

Yeah, I feel like premiers are just a big deal now.

Yeah.

And again I think COVID showed like when you think about what state governments do. We run all their schools, we run our hospitals, we run the police force, we build the roads and trail We're responsible for a lot of people rely.

On premiu premier perks. You didn't when you're a or a deputy premier.

Surely they're not parking you in the waiting bait mcdonal.

No, you do well. You do get dropped right at the front door.

That's pretty nice. It's pretty nice. I do get I get a few more staff. I get lots of coffees and.

Teas because we had Sally Cat, the Lord Mayor of the Lord Mayor of Melbourne is coming in and a big question I've got for her is do you get a snack till.

I like those little Turkish delights. I know this is controversial chocolate.

You're no one that you have.

Friends one away. He's the only young man. He's like an old woman.

He sleeps with an electric blanket and eats Turkish delight.

Now, just center, I want to test something out this morning, because you would, now that you're the premiere, you'd be rolling with some high powered friends and on the show a while back we were talking about celebrities. Who's the biggest big dog you've got in your phone when it comes to high profile celebrities. Clint said this the other.

Day when we talked about the biggest celebrities in our phone and you said the premiere of Melbourne.

I felt sad for you, or I actually felt a bit flat for.

You, because I know you know you know what, Laura, I know you know celebrities.

Have you got her number?

No?

No, you don't.

I congratulated on.

Me, isn't it that grad We were trying to hang.

It on Clint, but Clint gets Clinton loves he's the number one Pa.

Well, there is a lot of mutual admiration. I've watched Clint's career blossom. No, genuinely you left Bendy go and they're not see you on the telly doing the sport. It's a real thrill to see people, young people with talent go on and do wonderful.

Surely you know bigger celebrities than clickstun Away, much bigger. He's the biggest star in your contact book.

You have them in, got the PM in there, other talking about other state premiers. So my mine's perhaps not.

As razzle dazzle as Cli.

He was still the biggest in here though.

Elbow on the mame.

He's not bad on the text.

He's not a voice to text is but he does the voice memory.

No, no, no, it's more more the text.

Do you guys text on you have to bound like signal or what more?

What'sapp? It seems to be that a lot of a lot of business gets done on WhatsApp.

He be a thumbs up guy, wouldn't he?

A lot of business gets done on signal as well? Thank you? So much for coming in this morning. We really appreciate it.

Great to talk and.

I know it's got mixed feelings in Melbourne, and I can you know, we completely understand because the fear behind it the pill testing, but I think the pill testing is a great initiative.

Thank you. How's Victoria going? Just before we let you go, Look, we're going well.

If you look at a metric like number of people in jobs, got really low unemployment rates and record number of people in jobs. But I will acknowledge that, you know, cost of living continues to be a really tough thing for families.

We do a bunch of stuff.

We've got the school saving bonus, free red jo for for apprentices, we've got free kinder, free Tafe, but I will acknowledge that it's tough for many families. And that's why keeping people in a job and providing costs of living supports a real focus for me.

When's that tunnel going to be done?

Because well, you want a couple, we've got a kilder Rhod's being a dog's breakfast.

So Westcoat Tunnel, Westcat Tunnel Metro Tunnel, they're both going to be open next year.

Thank you guys.

And just last one who wins tonight cheering for the Queenslanders or the New Welshman.

I will confess a big not a big rugby league that makes all bust walls more my things.

Last week, Yeah, Benno.

Spirit, you got to pick one.

I know it's really hard.

Look at the color of your glasses.

Maybe.

Yeah.

I was going to send yourself because it means it goes we're on the Maroons. All I care about is that the mcg is going to be packed out and that's where they get the people to state of origin.

It's here in Melbourne.

Just into on the air with us this morning. I hear it at number one hundred. Thanks for coming in.

Thank you guys.

Sorry j On, the Airy's gonna be a good Jason Lauren, Jason Lauren wake up feeling good on number one hundred.

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