Courier Mail Friday 22/5/2020 Brief: AMA-PH Page: 6 Section: General News Region: 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 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 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 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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