Progress on the Voluntary Euthanasia Bill 2016
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VOL 33 NO 2 NOVEMBER 2016 ISSN 1321-0599 NEWSLETTER OF THE SOUTH AUSTRALIA VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA SOCIETY INC. (SAVES) ‘The right to die is as inviolable as the right to life’. Sir Mark Oliphant Progress on the Voluntary sound mind, be told that everyone else’s wishes Euthanasia Bill 2016 must override theirs and they must die slowly? It seems to me that this matter, this specific piece There was no July edition of SAVES Bulletin of legislation, will come down to definitions and this year as the editor was overseas. Thanks that is why the important work does need to to SAVES president, Frances Coombe, for continue. keeping members informed on the progress of the Voluntary Euthanasia Bill 2016 and the Nevertheless, I believe this parliament does need associated campaign. to find a way to come up with laws that give genuine choice to those who are dying and that As members will now be aware the Voluntary also put in place proper safeguards. Euthanasia Bill 2016 was introduced into State Parliament on the 11th of February 2016 by the I think that this will be a mark of the strength Hon Steph Key (Labor, Ashford). Approximately of this institution if it is able to grapple with 45 SAVES members and other supporters these difficult questions and come up with were in the Parliamentary Gallery to watch the wider solutions, and so I do invite all members introduction of this 14th Bill to State Parliament. to permit this bill at least to proceed to the next stage while we can have these important th On the 10 March Dr Duncan McFetridge discussions. I commend the bill to the house. (Liberal, Morphett), Mr Troy Bell (Liberal, Mt Gambier), and Ms Frances Bedford (Labor, Every time the Bill is debated SAVES members Florey) all spoke in favour of the Bill. Debate have filled the Speaker’s and Public Gallery, was resumed on April 14th when the Hon Paul most wearing their red Voluntary Euthanasia Caica (Labor, Colton), Ms Natalie Cook (Labor, t-shirts. During the April debate the Leader of Fisher), Ms Isobel Redmond (Liberal, Heysen), the Opposition, Stephen Marshall, and former and Ms Rachel Sanderson (Liberal, Adelaide) Leader of the Opposition, Isobel Redmond, came spoke in support of the Bill. Mr Adrian Pederick up to the Public Gallery to speak to supporters. (Liberal, Hammond) and Mr Vincent Tarzia The Deputy Speaker had to ask our supporters (Liberal, Hartley) spoke against the Bill. It was for silence after they reacted in shock and rather debated again on the 9th June with approximately loudly to the appalling and fearmongering 30 supporters attending. Premier Jay Weatherill, comments of the Member for Hammond, Mr (Cheltenham) and Mr Eddie Hughes (Labor, Adrian Pederick! Giles), spoke in favour of the Bill, with Premier Debate was adjourned until the 29th September Weatherill stating: when it was anticipated that other MPs would From my viewpoint, I can see little point in speak to the Bill before the vote being called in a forcing extremely ill people to needlessly endure following sitting week. pain that is clearly not going to stop until it In each parliamentary sitting week since consumes them completely. Why should a person September 2014, SAVES has provided MPs who is dying, yet in full control of their mental with a one page newsletter covering a range capacity and therefore making choices with a of relevant issues for consideration during 1 the passage of the Bill. All 35 newsletters are We’re about the right to choose a peaceful available on SAVES’ website. death: to give those suffering with untreatable or terminal illness the choice to “go gentle”, SAVES has also held letter writing campaigns in for their sake and for the sake of their families, Rundle Mall on September the 9th and October th friends and carers. We’re about the choices that the 14 , with many people lining up to send are available to us at the end of life. We’re about letters to their MPs on very personal views of a better conversation in Australia around dying. why the law needs to be changed. It is critical that members visit, write, ring or email their Go Gentle Australia seeks law reform to: MPs as it is constituents’ voices which really matter to our elected members. • Palliate and empower those who are suffering with greater choices SAVES has updated its website and you can • Reduce the suicide rate among elderly find easy links to all the Hansard, the GoGentle Australians faced with chronic and website, the weekly Newsletters – and irreversible illnesses everything else you might need to assist you in • Provide options within palliative care contacting your local MP. when, despite their best efforts, it is no longer possible to relieve all suffering Please don’t delay! • Remove the current legal uncertainty which has led to many documented cases of inadequate pain relief being delivered to Donations to SAVES patients as they suffer SAVES members continue to be generous • Create a law that protects – and gives donors towards the society’s campaign for law clarity and guidance to – doctors and nurses reform. The different initiatives and ongoing faced with human suffering that is beyond work incur considerable costs, even though the meaningful medical treatment society is staffed entirely by volunteers. • Relieve the suffering of families and All donations, large and small, are always carers forced to endure the traumatic and welcome and much appreciated. painful deaths of their loved ones. Thank you!! Go Gentle Australia does not argue for a ‘right to die’ because: Go Gentle Australia We see death not as a right, but as a fact at the end of life. What we do argue for is a right to Go Gentle Australia was launched in August have a choice about what happens to us at the 2016 following Andrew Denton’s address to end of our lives and not to be coerced, when the National Press Club of Australia. Andrew we are at our most vulnerable, into cruel and Denton has been described as one of the media’s avoidable suffering. We argue for the right of all genuinely creative forces with a career covering Australians not to have that choice dictated to radio, television and film. He is the creator of the them by of the ethics, morals, or religious beliefs 18 informative podcast series Better Off Dead: of another. investigating why good people die bad deaths in Australia. As part of his speech to the National Press Club Andrew Denton directly addressed South Go Gentle Australia’s aim is to help relieve the Australian MPs in respect of the Voluntary distress, helplessness and suffering experienced Euthanasia Bill 2016: by Australians with untreatable or terminal illnesses, their families and carers. The website states: 2 MARCH 2016 To the politicians of South Australia, who, for Andrew Denton has a high profile in all forms the 14th time, have a Bill before them – and of current Australian media, and SAVES has to those of Victoria, Tasmania and NSW, who welcomed their input and been delighted to work can expect new Bills within the year – I urge with their team. The ‘Denton Team’ are also you: Do your duty. Debate these laws properly. liaising directly with politicians to advocate for Understand what they are. Look at the evidence law reform. from overseas about how these safeguards work. And read this book [The Damage Done]… Podcasts are available at: http://www. Should you continue to stand in the way of a law wheelercentre.com/broadcasts/podcasts/better- for assisted dying, let it be in the full knowledge off-dead of the suffering taking place in our community For further information see: http://www. because of that refusal. Write this law. And right gogentleaustralia.org.au/ this wrong A new South Australian campaign strategy Victorian Inquiry into End of Life entitled ‘Be The Bill’ provides a way for people Choice to urge their MPs to support the Bill from a very personal perspective. The joint campaign The Final Report from the Victorian between GoGentle and the Australian Nursing Parliamentary Inquiry into End of Life Choice and Midwifery Federation was launched by was published in June 2016. The Legislative the Premier and Leader of the Opposition at Council Legal and Social Issues Committee Parliament House on September 23. The focus began the inquiry in May 2015. Conducting the for the campaign is Kylie Monaghan, a young Pt investigation took thousands of hours. Holding Pirie woman who has cancer. You can join the public hearings, collecting data, and processing campaign and send your own personalised Bill detailed submissions led to 49 recommendations. to all SA MPs at BeTheBill.com. (It’s a facebook The report states: based campaign but GoGentle will send your The Committee is of the view that the end of life message as an email if you contact them.) legal framework is untenable. Under the existing As well as compiling videos, Go Gentle legal framework Victorians with serious and Australia has produced a booklet of people’s incurable conditions and irremediable suffering stories about assisted dying in Australia. are exposed to the possibility of a traumatic Entitled ‘The Damage Done’ it is a powerful death. Some are driven to suicide. End of life account which illustrates why we need safe, care can be highly dependent on the individual comprehensive and compassionate assisted doctors, and disadvantaged groups are less dying laws. There are 72 testimonies from those likely to have access to the same choices as those who are suffering, friends and family, doctors with the resources to more effectively navigate and nurses.