Hosts get fired up on The Project in awkward clash: “You can yell at me all you like”
<p>Peter Helliar and Steve Price went at it again on Network Ten’s <em>The Project </em>on Monday night, clashing over a proposal to introduce pill testing after the cluster of drug-related deaths at Australian music festivals.</p>
<p>The show introduced a segment with Greens MP Cate Faehrmann who believes the government’s zero-tolerance stance on illicit drug use is costing young people’s lives.</p>
<p>Ms Faerhrmann admitted taking ecstasy and MDMA from time to time in an opinion piece published by <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/national/i-m-coming-out-about-drugs-it-s-time-get-real-about-pill-testing-20190120-p50shc.html"><em>The Sydney Morning Herald</em>.</a></p>
<p>“Young people are not fools. They want us, as politicians, to 'get real' about illegal drugs,” she wrote in her op-ed piece. "We need pill testing and other harm minimisation measures to keep our young people safe.”</p>
<p>The politician believes instead of enforcing routine dog sniffers, festivals should have drug safety personnel and medical tents that are well-resourced at festivals.</p>
<p>Radio talk show host Price has said he is against making testing kits available, and believes kids are better off to be “freaked out” over sniffer dogs at festival gates rather than die from drug-related causes.</p>
<p>“You don’t even want sniffer dogs outside the gates, surely those sniffer dogs are saving people’s lives, that’s a dumb idea,” Price said on <em>The Project</em> panel with Ms Faerhrmann.</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr">“In my 20s, I went to dance parties, I took MDMA… I’m not saying that everybody should do it but I’m saying let’s be real - a lot of people are.”<br /><br />There are growing calls to introduce pill testing and today, a unique voice joined that chorus - Greens MP <a href="https://twitter.com/greencate?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@greencate</a>. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/TheProjectTV?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#TheProjectTV</a> <a href="https://t.co/upl95flXP5">pic.twitter.com/upl95flXP5</a></p>
— The Project (@theprojecttv) <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv/status/1087275004759224321?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<p>After the segment ended with the politician, Helliar debated with Price over his stance that young people are better to be “freaked out” by police resources at dance festivals.</p>
<p>“Pricey, the problem with what you’re saying with it being better to freak the kids out than let them die is that they are freaking out by seeing these sniffer dogs, then they’re taking the drugs,” Helliar said on air.</p>
<p>“So the freaking out and dying is going hand-in hand.”</p>
<p>“Well, if you don’t take the drugs you don’t die,” Price retaliated.</p>
<p>Both men began raising their voices to talk over one another as they both argued their opposing sides.</p>
<p>Price said money should be put into drug awareness campaigns while Helliar labelled the radio host’s views as outdated.</p>
<p>“You’ve got the Nancy Reagan policy that hasn’t worked since the '80s,” Helliar said.</p>
<p>“I’ve got no idea about Nancy Reagan, I’m just telling you … I’m not going to change my mind, but you can yell at me all you like,” Price fired back.</p>
<p>Viewers of the show did not take a liking to Price’s views and went to social media to express their anger.</p>
<p dir="ltr">Steve Price is the reason I no longer watch <a href="https://twitter.com/theprojecttv?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@theprojecttv</a> — because his views are so abhorrent, ghastly, callous, bigoted, immoral, ethically bankrupt, and insane, that I consider listening to him a form of auditory poisoning.</p>
<p><a class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">— Trevor Rose (@galacticprez) </a><a href="https://twitter.com/galacticprez/status/1087286035426488320?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a><a class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"></a></p>
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/StevePriceMedia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StevePriceMedia</a> here's what you're refusing/unable to understand<br />Young ppl experiment with drugs<br />They think they're invincible<br />They'll swallow every pill if they think they'll be caught<br />Saying don't do it isn't working<br />What needs to change are attitudes like yours<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/theprojecttv?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#theprojecttv</a></p>
<p><a class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">— Dr Ness (@Doctor_Ness) </a><a href="https://twitter.com/Doctor_Ness/status/1087266084820987904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a><a class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"></a></p>
<p>However supporters of the radio show host's opinion flocked to Twitter, with one one user saying, “Waste of money on pill testing. It’s about accountability.”</p>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/StevePriceMedia?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@StevePriceMedia</a> I agree!! Just saw the segment on the project. Waste of money on pill testing. It’s about accountability. Take the “illegal” drugs & there are consequences (huge cost, charged or death), Simple. Everyone wants to blame others but themselves. Snowflake Syndrome!!</p>
— Mark Musumeci (@wolfyGTR) <a href="https://twitter.com/wolfyGTR/status/1087464455187746817?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en">
<p dir="ltr">To use the above logic, if someone speeding sees a radar and then speeds up to avoid being caught and dies, we should get rid of all the radars?? The cases of people dying from swallowing pills due to police as they enter are few and far between.</p>
— Dr. Terry Goldsworthy (@tgoldswo) <a href="https://twitter.com/tgoldswo/status/1087444704235446272?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 21, 2019</a></blockquote>
<p>What do you think about pill testing at music festivals to help save the lives of teenagers and young adults? Let us know in the comments below. </p>
