Media releases

This announcement follows years of advocacy by Redfern Legal Centre, many other community and health organisations, and families impacted by drug-related deaths at music festivals. It is encouraging that the NSW Government is listening to evidence and expert advice and backing harm minimisation measures. However, the Government must now take the next logical step and cease the use of drug detection dogs and strip searches for suspected drug possession at music festivals.

Redfern Legal Centre welcomes the new health-led model for mental health emergency responses, but says NSW Police still need updated training and use-of-force protocols since they'll remain involved when appropriate.

Redfern Legal Centre welcomes the NSW Court of Appeal decision ruling the Public Assembly Restriction Declaration (PARD) laws invalid.

Redfern Legal Centre says an investigation by the NSW police watchdog, the Law Enforcement Conduct Commission (LECC), into police conduct is being undermined by disproportionate and intimidating police arrests.

Redfern Legal Centre is calling on NSW Police to clarify when they stopped pursuing a car in an incident that ultimately ended in the deaths of two people.

Redfern Legal Centre calls on the Commissioner of the New South Wales Police Force, Mal Lanyon, to stand down officers whose use of force at last Monday’s protest appears excessive, based on the available footage.

Redfern Legal Centre is calling on the NSW Government to reform the law to ban the strip searching of children unless a court order is obtained. 

Slater and Gordon priority remains to secure a \settlement between the State of NSW and thousands of festivalgoers in the Strip Search class action. This follows the NSW Supreme Court’s finding that lead plaintiff Raya Meredith’s search was unlawful, a decision the State now intends to appeal.

The NSW Government has rejected a key Drug Summit recommendation to stop using drug dogs and strip searches for drug possession at music festivals during the drug-checking trial.

Following a class action led by leading law firm Slater and Gordon and Redfern Legal Centre, a judgment was today handed down in the Supreme Court of NSW which awarded significant damages to the lead plaintiff, Raya Meredith, for an unlawful strip search undertaken by NSW Police at the Splendour in the Grass Festival in 2018.