What would you like to tell the committee (up to 1,000 words)? The next screen has a question about voluntary Voluntary assisted No. Your first name Your last name Postcode assisted dying. dying I strongly believe Queensland should introduce Voluntary Assisted Dying laws. We all should have a choice in the way we die but particularly anyone in unbearable pain or with a terminal illness, where quality of life is severely affected. Effective guidelines are essential so that a person can make these decisions prior to becoming incapacitated, and these decisions will be adhered to. Clearly there needs to be safeguards in place but there are many countries with longstanding regulations from which we can learn. Whilst Palliave Care is a wonderful service, it does not always meet the needs of the paent, and somemes suffering is prolonged. As has been said many mes - we are beer at End of Life care for animals than we are for humans. Far too many people are forced to live too long because there is no way out. Doctors must be free to follow E306 Jane Peterson 4563 their paent's wishes without fear of prosecuon. Yes I believe that individuals should have the right to make their own end of life decisions if they are mentally capable of so doing. In the event that an individual does not have the mental capacity to make that decision, then assisted dying provided by a health care professional should be an opon. When making a will or Advanced Health Care Direcve or E307 Lynn Palmer 4207 Mental Health Care Directive the individual's wishes should be followed by those nominated. Yes Allow assisted dying. Suicide IMO is another hangover from a previous deeply religious society of which we are no longer. It's my life, my E308 Matthew Palmer choice. How dare anyone think they can tell me when my life has lost all meaning and hope for me. Yes Life is precious and, from a religious viewpoint, sacred. Everyone has a right to live his/her life in a dignified manner. If a person does not want to prolong his/her life due to a serious ailment/illness, he/she should not be put through avoidable medical treatments. Palliative care should be provided to those who want to die peacefully with minimum pain. As a Hindu, I would be careful not to create a precedence to kill people with drugs to assist in dying. Hinduism has a place for giving up one's body by desisting from eating food or taking any water provided a person wants to do so without any regret. If voluntary assisted dying does not involve usage of powerful drugs or medication but, instead - counselling and E309 Atmeshananda Swami 4300 easing of the pain of departing through religious methods I am all for it. No If I had a terminal illness and knew I would have a diminished quality of life, I would like the choice to be able to end my suffering at a time when I felt I could not live on. Not only would this relieve my suffering, it would make the life I had left more peaceful and contented knowing I did not have to suffer on and on. The knowledge in advance, would give me a E310 Marjorie Johnson 4067 better quality of life for the time I had left. That would bring immense comfort to me. Yes Queensland should adopt a less restricve system than that currentliy in force in Victoria. E311 Paul Hudson 4051 While life is important, it should not be preserved at all costs. Yes Aged care should NOT be privatised, as profits will always come first. Everybody should have the right, when very ill, to E312 Amanda Gordon 4520 end their own life, in a safe, caring environment Yes What would you like to tell the committee (up to 1,000 words)? The next screen has a question about voluntary Voluntary assisted No. Your first name Your last name Postcode assisted dying. dying It is time Queensland allowed terminally ill patients the right to choose when they end their life. To give them the right to end their life, at a time of their choosing, with dignity and legally. I have watched several family members and close friends who all had a terminal illness (cancer, lung disease and AIDS) suffer needlessly and for long periods of time because they did not have access to ending their own life at a me of their choosing. Not having this choice, causes undue stress for the patient, their family and loved ones. It also drains financial resources of the families and takes up room in hospitals and other medical facilies, which could be used by other paents. Choosing one's "Final Exit" should be a right that is allowed and not denied by government because of opposing religious or other views. We can assist our pets pass E313 Linda McMullen 4563 over the "Rainbow Bridge"; it's time we allow our loved ones the right to be able to end their life with dignity. Yes I would like to see the Law changed to allow Voluntary Assisted Dying. It is inhuman to let a person suffer at the end of their life as well as the impact that suffering has on the remaining family, as well as the cost. Human life is a form of animal and the law allows the assisted dying of all manner of animals so why not allow for the human animal to die with E314 Thomas Heitmann 4563 dignity, without suffering? Yes As a middle aged full time working Police woman, I am the sole carer for my daughter and my elderly mother. We all live together and currently enjoy a great life. My mother has on numerous occasions though, said to me that if she is crippled by disease, can not look after herself, is unable to move or stand up on her own, can't feed herself and is bedridden, that she would like to take a substance, with her doctors approval, and part this earth the way she would like - with dignity, empathy, love and without pain. She feels that if her life ends up like this, being bedridden, totally reliant on others and me, and can not enjoy life, it would be too much of a burden, would not be a meaningful existence for her and wants to be able to have a say in her parng. I agree with her. I also do not want to burden my only child with the same financial and physical costs in the future, of having to look after me when I am bedridden and incapacitated. I would like to think that by the time I have lived a full life and I can not take care of myself independently, that the laws will have been changed to allow me, my doctor and my daughter, to have a say in my care, the value of living in such a state, and the quality of my life, with a view to passing away peacefully, in the knowledge I have lived the best life I could, surrounded E315 Hayley Firth 4421 by the people that care for and about me. Yes E316 Andrew Davison 4102 We need to have a sensible pathway towards voluntary euthanasia like other countries who have regulated this Yes I object to the end of life bill. This is because I believe that in the beginning everything may be done correctly for the old people in severe pain. Over time it could be abused and used by relatives to get rid of old people to gain money. The old people could be made to feel useless and encouraged or forced to ask to end their life. Also I do not believe in the State E317 Mary Barlow 4103 giving permission for suicide. No What would you like to tell the committee (up to 1,000 words)? The next screen has a question about voluntary Voluntary assisted No. Your first name Your last name Postcode assisted dying. dying I have witnessed the final days of both family members and palliative care clients in my practice as a community based occupational therapist. I have seen considerable suffering endured by these people and their families despite the best efforts of palliave care teams both in the hospital and in home based care. I have listened to countless requests for a hastening of the end by the dying when the person’s quality of life and enduring pain have been have been unbearable. I have seen people at the end of their life or suffering a complete loss of independent function given inappropriate life preserving medical intervention when they are unable to verbally refuse ongoing treatment which will prolong their suffering. My family members and many of my clients, knowing of the inevitable outcome of their terminal or degenerative condition, have previously expressed a wish for their lives to end with dignity at a time of their choosing. As this is almost always not possible without assistance I believe legislation is needed to allow those in this situation to make this choice with the best available assistance. It is what i would want at the end of my life. The choice to end my suffering and die with dignity. I would also like to ensure that the legislation did not impose conditions related to the prognosis of 3 Months to expected death as the course of many conditions can be prolonged with the person suffering a debilitating and painful illnesss over E318 Christine Sanders 4551 many months.