Deliverance A Peaceful Death is Everybody’s Right 22 September Exit International 2006 10th Anniversary ‘Remembering ROTI’ Conference Special Edition Newsletter Exit International together with the Voluntary Euthanasia Society of New South Wales are de- lighted to welcome you to the 10th Anniversary ‘Remembering ROTI (Rights of the Terminally Ill)’ Conference here in Sydney on Bob Dent Day 2006.

The day is intended to be a mixture of stimulating and challenging discussion and debate, political demonstration and socialising and friendship. In addition to our respected keynote speakers, we are also privileged to have the Hon. Sandra Kanck from in Sydney to launch Dr Philip Nitschke’s new book - The Peaceful Pill Handbook at morning tea.

Registrations open 8.15am. The conference begins at 8.45am. The Peaceful Pill Handbook will be launched at Morning Tea at 10.30am. The Street March will take place at 1.30pm. Post confer- ence drinks will be held at 4.30pm. Everybody welcome and please enjoy the day. About the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act On 1 July 1996, the Northern Territory The Kevin Andrews Private Members of Australia became the first place in Bill was passed in a conscience vote the world to legalise Voluntary Eu- in Federal Parliament and destroyed thanasia (and Assisted Suicide). On the ROTI law which had proven it- 22 September that same year, Dar- self to work well. The success of the win man, Bob Dent, became the first Kevin Andrews Bill condemned many person to receive a legal, lethal vol- thousands of seriously ill Australians untary injection. Bob would soon be to painful suffering, and undignified followed by Janet Mills, Bill W and dying. The Australian Parliament Valerie P. was able to overturn the ROTI Act because the Northern Territory is not The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act a state and does not enjoy the same was the result of the private member’s Bob Dent, the first to use the NT ROTI Act constitutional privileges. bill of then NT Chief Minister Marshall Perron. The bill passed in the Northern Territory Parliament by During the time of the ROTI Act, four patients of one vote. Controversial in nature, the Rights of the Dr Philip Nitschke’s obtained peaceful, dignified Terminally Ill Act was a highly responsible law with deaths. These people each considered themselves to tight safeguards. To qualify to use the law, a person have been in the right place at the right time! had to be terminally ill. They also had to obtain signed paperwork from three medical practitioners, including a psychiatrist. This Edition Special Edition Newsletter As history shows us, the ROTI law lasted nine • Conference Welcome Pg 1 months before being • About the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act Pg 1 overturned as the result • Launch - The Peaceful Pill Handbook Pg 2 of a private members bill • Peanut Project Yields Exciting Results Pg 3 in the Australian Federal • Book Launch - Telling it Straight Pg 3 Parliament. • Conference Program & Speakers Pg 4 Australian Launch ‘The Peaceful Pill Handbook’ Please join us for this special event

Dr Philip Nitschke’s new Peaceful Pill Handbook will be launched by

Hon Sandra Kanck MP - South Australian Parliament

Morning Tea - Remembering ROTI Conference

22 September 2006

Dougherty Centre - Chatswood About The Peaceful Pill Handbook In the Peaceful Pill Handbook Dr Philip This unique practical focus serves not only to Nitschke draws upon the latest scientific re- prevent unnecessary and unwanted mistakes search on end of life choices to share a range and harm, but upholds people’s right to make of practical and useful strategies that everyone informed choices in this most sensitive issue. can understand. To ensure that readers know fully By applying Exit’s ‘Reliability where they stand and that respon- - Peacefulness (RP) Test’ to each sibility for actions can be taken, approach, The Peaceful Pill Hand- The Peaceful Pill Handbook also book enables readers to compare provides a thorough outline of the for themselves the benefits of legal aspects of various approach- various options such as Nembutal es. The over-arching paradigm of from Mexico, Helium and the Exit the book is to ensure the seriously Bag, prescription drugs, carbon ill and the elderly maintain their monoxide, cyanide and, of course, respect, dignity and sense of con- the DIY ‘Peaceful Pill.’ trol in EOL decision-making. World Federation Conference News 9 - 11 September 2006 Handbook Contents Today, Friday 22 September 2006, sees Dr Philip 1. End of Life Considerations Nitschke fresh back from the 16th Biennial meeting 2. Suicide and the Law of the World Federation of Right to Die Societies in 3. The Peaceful Pill Toronto Canada. Despite Exit not being a member 4. The Exit RP Test of this world body, our attendance at this conference 5. Hypoxic Death & Exit Bag did prove to be highly successful. 6. Carbon Monoxide 7. Cyanide In addition to speaking about the Suicide Related 8. Introduction to Drugs Materials Act, Exit Director Philip Nitschke co- 9. Drug Options: Morphine convened with Derek Humphry a packed NuTech 10. Drug Options: Propoxyphene meeting immediately following the conference. 11. Drug Options: Nembutal 12. The Peanut Project The Canadian media took great interest in Exit and 13. Overseas Options The Peaceful Pill project and book, with news re- 14. After it’s All Over ports appearing on radio, print, TV and Internet 15. Concluding Comments news - details in the next Deliverance. Remember the National Day of Shame, Monday March 26 2007 Buses from all states will take VE supporters to Canberra so that they can show what they think of actions of the Federal Government in March 1997 that passed the Kevin Andrews Bill Dinner at the National Museum, Guest Speaker Phillip Adams Exit Peanut Project yields exciting results Phase 2 of the Exit International Peanut Project has The main component of the sample is certainly produced preliminary results which are extremely amylobarbitone. However, up to 25% of the total encouraging. After almost a year of weight could be psychoactive “con- trials, the Project has now produced taminants”, one of which is Veronal. a sample of mixed barbiturate. It is to be stressed that the presence of these contaminants in no way This sample has been synthesised detracts from the usefulness of the and the crystalline form separated product. The resulting mixture is and purified. The equipment needed likely to be a more effective agent and the process employed have un- in providing a peaceful death than a dergone continual simplification in pure sample of amylobarbitone. the months since the group of eld- Petrie dish with synthesised mixed barbiturate erly Exit members gathered in rural Australia to un- The simplification of the necessary equipment and dertake the first Peanut experiment. the techniques used ensures that this process is much more accessible to elderly and seriously ill people The ratio of the component barbiturates is yet to be who are seeking real choice at the end of life. determined, but specimens have been sent for anal- ysis and results will be available in October. Telling It Straight Telling it Straight is the new book John’s book was launched by Mar- by Gold Coast right to die activ- shall Perron on the Gold Coast on ist, and Exit supporter John Edge, Wednesday 20 September. Prior about the inside story of the life and the launch the Courier Mail news- death of Nancy Crick. paper reported that the police in- vestigation into Nancy’s death may In May 2002, Nancy Crick took her well be reopened as a result of the own life. Suffering from aftermath publication of the book. The po- of bowel cancer Nancy Crick drank lice are expected to examine the the Nembutal she obtained on the book closely for fresh evidence. Internet. In an effort to clarify In Telling It Straight John Edge the law of assisted suicide, Nancy reveals how Nancy Crick came by was surrounded by 21 family and her drugs, the names of some of friends when she died. After a po- those present, and how he, himself, lice investigation lasting 2 years, cleaned up after her death. Copies the Queensland police dropped their investigation, are available at today’s conference. unable to establish if Nancy Crick had been assisted in her suicide or if she had acted alone. Contact Us During the time leading up to her death, Gold Coast Exit International Exit supporter, John Edge, was Nancy’s close friend PO Box 37781 Darwin NT 0821 Australia and confidant. InTelling it Straight Edge reveals for Tel 1300 10 EXIT (3948) Fax 02-8905-9249 the first time what really happened amidst the high [email protected] profile political machinations of politicians and eu- thanasia activists. Intermingling biography with po- Donate to Exit litical commentary, John Edge brings to the fore his Exit relies on donations to fund its workshop, private visits and R&D programs. own childhood in Paddington in the 1940s and his Bequest forms can be obtained from Exit. adventurous and no holds barred life ever since. 4. Conference Program & Speakers 8.15am Registrations Elected to the Australian Senate in 1996, Bob is known for establishing the Australian Bush Heritage Fund 8.45am Conference Welcome – Dr Philip which buys land for conservation. Bob’s books include Nitschke (Exit) & Mr Kep Enderby Lake Pedder, Wild Rivers, Tarkine Trails, The Greens QC (VE Society of NSW ) and, in 2004 Memo for a Saner World.

9 - 9.30am Marshall Perron - Judy Dent - In 1996 Judy Dent’s late husband Bob Introducing VE to Australia’s Dent - who was suffering from prostate cancer - was the Political Agenda first person in the world to receive a legal, lethal volun- tary injection, under the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. 9.30 - 10am Dr Philip Nitschke - Living & Dying under ROTI Hon Sandra Kanck - Was elected to the Legislative Council of the Parliament of South Australia as a Demo- 10 - 10.30am Dr Marion Maddox - crat in December 1993. In August 2006, Sandra Kanck The ‘Euthanasia No Campaign openly challenged the federal government’s Suicide (via video) Related Materials Offences Act in the SA Parliament.

10.30 - 11am Morning Tea & Book launch with Hon Dr Carmen Lawrence - In 1990, Dr Carmen Law- Hon. Sandra Kanck rence made history by becoming Australia’s first woman Premier. Upon entering federal Politics Dr Lawrence 11 - 11.15am Senator Amanda Vanstone (Lib) held ministerial positions for Human Services & Health and Minister assisting the Prime Minister on the Status 11.15 - 11.30am Senator of Women. Immediate past president of the ALP, Dr (Greens - via video) Lawrence voted against the Kevin Andrews Bill.

11.30 - 12noon Hon Dr Carmen Lawrence (ALP) Dr Marion Maddox - Is the author of God Under Howard: The Rise of the Religious Right in Australian 12 - 12.30pm Senator Lyn Allison (Dem) Politics (2005). As Reader at Victoria University in Wel- lington, Dr Maddox’s teaching focuses upon the inter- 12.30 - 1.15pm Lunch sections of religion and politics. 1.15pm March Briefing & Assembly 1.30 - 2.30pm Street March - Chatswood Dave Mills - In 1996 Dave Mill’s late wife Janet, who was suffering from carcenoid syndrome, became the 2.30 - 3pm Panel Discussion - Dying with second person to receive a legal, lethal voluntary injec- Dignity under ROTI with Judy tion, under the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act. Dent, Dave Mills & Philip Nitschke Dr Philip Nitschke - Is the Founder and Director of 3 - 3.30pm Hon Sandra Kanck MP - SA Exit International - a pro-choice voluntary euthanasia Challenging the Suicide Materials organisation based in Darwin. In 1996, Dr Nitschke Crimes Act - Pitfalls & Perils was the first doctor in the world to administer a legal, voluntary lethal injection. 3.30 - 4.30pm Presentation of Condolence Books, Outline for National Day of Mr Marshall Perron - Is a third generation Territo- Shame (26 March 2007 in rian. After entering politics in 1974, Marshall Perron Canberra) & Conference Drinks served as Chief Minister of the Northern Territory from 1988 - 1995 when he retired. Marshall Perron’s private Speaker Biographies member’s bill - The Rights of the Terminally Ill Act – led to the Northern Territory becoming the first place Senator Lyn Allison - Elected to Federal Parliament in in the world to legalise VE and Assisted Suicide. 1996, Senator Lyn Allison is the parliamentary leader of the . Senator Allison’s most Senator Amanda Vanstone - In 2006 Senator Vanstone notable achievements to date includes negotiating al- became Australia’s longest serving female Cabinet most $1 billion of ‘Measures for a Better Environment’ Minister. She has held the portfolios of Employment, programs in 1999. Senator Allison voted against the Education, Training & Youth Affairs, Justice & Cus- Kevin Andrews Bill. toms, Family & Community Services & Immigration & Multicultural Affairs. Born in Adelaide, Senator Senator Bob Brown - Senator Bob Brown, was born in Vanstone worked in retail and the law before enter- 1944 in New South Wales. A graduate of Sydney Uni- ing politics. Senator Vanstone voted against the Kevin versity Medical School, Bob is best known as a life-long Andrews Bill. environmental activist, founding the in 1992.