MP says rave party safer than the front bar

SA police seized about 500 drug deals from a rave party that Democrats MP Sandra Kanck claims was a "far better environment" than a hotel bar.

Ms Kanck, who attended the rave on Saturday night and later urged all MPs to do the same as part of the drug debate, said yesterday she felt safer at the rave than in a hotel.

"These people using ecstasy and whatever they're using, they are not aggressive, they're not shouting, they're not fighting, you don't get people puking all over the place, it's a far, far better environment," Ms Kanck told ABC local radio.

"If I had a choice between being at a rave party and a hotel bar, I'd go to the rave party every time."

But police told media last night four men were arrested at the Winter Enchanted rave on Saturday night, at the Night Train theatre restaurant in Light Square.

Police allege they were carrying more than 300 ecstasy tablets for sale as well as amphetamines, LSD, cannabis and about $1500 in cash. Twenty-one on-the-spot drug fines were also issued.
Police say some of those arrested are linked to 'motorcycle gangs'.

Superintendent Paul Schramm said that while the rave party itself was relatively incident free, "it seemed more than a coincidence that we arrested four people for possessing a variety of drugs for sale".

He said raves were a common environment "for predators peddling their cocktail of drugs" to young people.

This is the third time Ms Kanck has controversially entered the drug debate. The MP previously:

TOLD State Parliament in May that "ecstasy is not a dangerous drug . . . We have been told the ecstasy is a dangerous substance. We do not have the evidence".

URGED fellow MPs on Tuesday to attend rave parties to learn first-hand about drugs related to legislation they are debating. At the rave, she was accompanied by drug testing campaigner Dr David Caldicott and another doctor.

Yesterday, Ms Kanck said the Government needed to introduce a pill-testing trial so users would be alerted if ecstasy pills were not pure. "If I were in a venue where there were 3000 people drinking alcohol and in a venue where there were 3000 people taking ecstasy, I believe I would be safer in the venue where people were taking ecstasy," she said.

"I believe they (raves) would be safe for the majority of people."

She said people who were breaking the law, however, should be prosecuted.

Ms Kanck was aware of some arrests in relation to drugs and said she knew of one person from the rave who had been admitted to the Royal Adelaide Hospital after taking drugs.

Dr Caldicott, an emergency physician at Royal Adelaide Hospital, said the number of alcohol-affected people in the emergency department after big cricket matches outnumbered rave-related admissions by up to six times.

Anti-drugs MLC Ann Bressington said Ms Kanck's latest comments were irresponsible. "I think she is undermining parents' and educators' efforts to stop people from using drugs," she said.

"She is not talking about a party. She is talking about a drug scene where ecstasy is taken."

Ms Bressington conceded Ms Kanck made her comments in relation to harm minimisation.

"But what she should be saying is there is no room in our society for mind-altering drugs. Ecstasy . . . is known to cause brain damage."

She implored Ms Kanck to come to a drug rehabilitation centre with her to see the effects of illicit drugs.

Health Minister John Hill said MPs could educate themselves about drug taking by visiting emergency department and mental health wards.

A spokeswoman for Premier Mike Rann said he would not be attending a rave "any time soon", while Democrats state president Richard Pascoe, who already has a strained relationship with Ms Kanck, said he was "lost for words".