Music festivals have usually been known to go ahead rain, hail or shine but there are now calls to stop the events from going ahead if the shine gets too much.
Adelaide City Councillor Anne Moran is starting a push to cancel or reschedule music festivals when the temperature reaches 35 degrees after 19 year-old Stereosonic punter Stefan Woodward died from a suspected drug overdose in 40 degree heat.
“This isn’t about stopping people taking drugs it’s about stopping people from dying,” she said.
“We can’t be so naive to think that having a zero-tolerance policy (towards drugs) will work so there needs to be a review into what can be done to reduce the risk of another death.”
It’s a new angle on the drug debate which has divided opinion across the country over the past fortnight.
“One of the big risks when people take these drugs is overheating which can result in organ damage and death,” Moran said.
She also suggested that there be mandatory free water and first aid officers wandering festival grounds looking out for anybody who may be struggling.
City program manager Sean McNamara weighed in, praising Stereosonic for their response to the hot weather. “The Stereosonic event organisers responded to the forecast extreme heat through their risk management process by increasing the free water stations, misting stations and first aid facilities on site,” she said.
