Monday, September 20, 2010

Australians are having the debate our parliament denies us

Australians are debating voluntary euthanasia.

Fourteen years after the Northern Territory became the first place in the world to legalise euthanasia - only to be overridden nine months later by the Howard government - Greens leader Bob Brown pledged his first priority would be a bill to restore the territories' power to pass euthanasia laws.


A poll asking if that right should be restored is running roughly three quarters in agreement.

ACT Chief Minister Jon Stanhope said he believed euthanasia laws would be passed if introduced to the ACT Parliament, where Labor rules in alliance with the Greens.

''I think … it is quite likely with such a large Green cohort with the balance of power now that it would possibly pass,'' Mr Stanhope said.

''I don't support legislation to legalise euthanasia, but I'm in a minority within my party. There has always been very strong support for euthanasia in the ACT.''


Which leaves the question, what about the rest of Australia?

Senator Brown's bill comes as voluntary euthanasia legislation is set to be debated in both the South Australian and the West Australian parliaments.


Meanwhile we New Zealanders are being denied any vehicle to debate the issue despite it being of relevance to everybody.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

It doesn't matter.
Be prepared to take care of that sort of thing yourself.

Swimming said...

It is not of relevance to everybody. It's of no relevance to me.

Unknown said...

It will never be passed here. It wasn't under the previous Labour-led Government and there is no reason to think otherwise.

While you can sympathise with the supporters of euthanasia, I maintain it would be the thin edge of the stick.

Lindsay Mitchell said...

At the last airing Peter Brown's Death With Dignity Bill commanded a conscience vote and it was only narrowly deafeated (60-57). All it will take is another member/party to prepare a similar bill to test whether support is growing. Some polls would indicate it is.

Big News, If it is irrelevant to you then you must be completely neutral on the subject.

ZenTiger said...

I see in that article that Nitschke had tried to use mainstream advertising for his suicide services, and has been blocked from that.