Courier Mail Friday 22/5/2020 Brief: AMA-PH Page: 6 Section: General News Region: Brisbane Circulation: 135,007 Type: Capital City Daily Size: 170.00 sq.cms. Frequency: MTWTFS-
Premier pulls plug on hopes for euthanasia law this year JESSICA MARSZALEK Hall telling MPs and candidates around 80 per cent of the com- SUPPORTERS of voluntary as- munity wanted the laws. sisted dying laws say they are “The aim of VAD laws is to disappointed and angry Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk will delay give another option at the end of a decision on allowing terminal- life to those with terminal illness ly ill Queenslanders to “die with causing intolerable suffering, so dignity” until after the election. it is especially disappointing for Ms Palaszczuk yesterday or- them that action on law reform dering the Queensland Law Re- is now deferred to the next term form Commission to draft of state parliament,” Clem Jones legislation for the government’s Trust chair David Muir said. consideration by March 1, 2021 – The Australian Christian Lobby commended Ms Pal- four months after this year’s Oc- aszczuk for postponing and tober 31 state election. called on both major parties to The move came more than “reject assisted suicide laws” for seven weeks after a historic par- better access to palliative care. liamentary inquiry, ordered by the Premier in 2018, recom- mended parliament debate and vote on laws to allow terminally ill adults to end their lives. Ms Palaszczuk said she want- ed a “measured and careful” ap- proach informed by experts as “it is critical we get this right”. But supporters of voluntary assisted dying accused the Premier of wasting time, ques- tioning why she asked the com- mittee to consider the issue if she was not going to accept their recommendations anyway. “What exactly was the point of our 18-month parliamentary Michael Berkman. inquiry (of which I was a mem- ber) with 4719 written submis- sions from Queenslanders, 34 public and private hearings with 502 witnesses?” Greens MP Mi- chael Berkman tweeted. “The Committee has draft legislation ready to go.” Independent Noosa MP Sandy Bolton said the “disap- pointment, angst and anger are palpable and understandable”. Community proponents said the decision made it a key elec- tion issue, with Dying with Dig- nity Queensland president Jos
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