Source : Perth Now news
The father of a young woman who died of methanol poisoning while partying at a hostel in Laos has returned to his daughter’s school to deliver a sobering message to year 12 leavers gearing up for their upcoming schoolies celebrations.
Mark Jones joined advocates from DrinkWise and the Red Frogs on Wednesday to encourage students and parents to have serious conversations about how school leavers can approach drinking in a safe and fun way.
In November 2024, Mr Jones’ daughter Bianca and her best friend Holly were partying at a hostel in Laos when they were served drinks believed to have been laced with methanol, a tasteless, scentless, colourless, and highly toxic liquid sometimes used as a cheap substitute for expensive liquor.
Both girls, who were 18 and had recently wrapped up their year 12 studies, died in hospital, along with four other victims who had been partying at the same venue.
Speaking to NewsWire, Mr Jones said Bianca would want him to help teenagers become more aware of the potential hazards they could face while out drinking with their mates.
“In the first interview we gave after Bianca’s passing, when we were still in Thailand, we said her passing wasn’t going to be for nothing,” he said.
“One of Bianca’s great traits was that she loved people, she loved protecting her mates and she cared. Deep down I think she wanted us to be making sure that other teens are aware of the potential hazards.”
According to DrinkWise, 90 per cent of parents say they would like to prioritise discussions with their child about the risks of drinking, but fewer than half of them are sitting down and talking to their kids about the hazards of alcohol before schoolies kicks off.
Mr Jones said he and Bianca’s mother Michelle had never properly sat down with their daughter to have a conversation with her about the dangers of drinking, particularly overseas, because they had never been informed about the best way to do it.
“We certainly didn’t warn Bianca because we didn’t know. We’re hoping our support behind this campaign can bring the hazards of drinking – and particularly the diabolic hazards of drinking methanol – to people’s attention,” he said.
“Methanol doesn’t care how old you are, you can’t smell it, you can’t taste it, you can’t see it. We want to make sure that people are aware of methanol, are aware of the dangers and can plan accordingly.
“As hard as it is to talk about this again and again, it’s incredibly important to us that we try and prevent other families going through what we’re going through.”
Mr Jones said there were many ways for young adults to stay safe when going out drinking during schoolies celebrations, especially if they were going overseas.
“Make sure you see the bartender pour your drinks, make sure you keep your drinks with you so they can’t be spiked and make particularly sure while overseas that the bottle the alcohol is coming from looks authentic,” he said.
Mentone Girls’ Grammar principal Lauren Perfect said having the Joneses return to their daughter’s school and talk about safe drinking practices was “so important”.
“Having Mark and Michelle return to the school where Bianca once sat in our classrooms meant so much to our students and families,” she said.
“Schoolies is seen as a rite of passage for some, but we want all school leavers to stay safe.”
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Bianca and Holly’s deaths were a reminder of the risks faced by young Australians overseas.
“A schoolies trip starts before you leave home. Talk openly about travel risks, stay connected and look out for one another,” she said.
“These simple steps can help young Australians prepare for a safer and more enjoyable time overseas.”
