NSW EUTHANASIA BILL

May 21, 2013

Some points from the discussion about the NSW Euthanasia Bill at our recent meeting

PUBLIC KNOWLEDGE

There has been a serious lack of reporting and discussion about this Bill, to the extent that many people simply aren't aware it is even being considered

WHAT IS IT REALLY

Allowing someone to die by removing unnecessary, life extending equipment and procedures is different to actively causing death.

Actual experience from countries where "legal euthanasia" has been introduced, such as Holland, demonstrate that they soon move to being involuntary euthanasia.

WHY IT IS WRONG

The issue to be dealt with is "unalleviated pain and degradation". This is dealt with on a daily basis through palliative care.

The question of quality of life or material status is often equated to Human Dignity. But a Christian view is that Human Dignity arises from your relationship with God.

What is the impact of medical technology to keep people alive? Unnecessary medical procedures are routinely discontinued now.

The Bill is deceptively named. While titled "rights of the terminally ill" but it is actually about protecting doctors from prosecution. It only caters for the sterile and clinical environment of the medical world and ignores many real situations where people may find themselves faced with the dilemma.

It is very likely that insurance companies looking to reduce their risk and exposure when covering doctors working with certain illnesses will make signing a euthanasia agreement mandatory prior to commencing any course of treatment. Doctors who fail to get patients to sign will be unable to get insurance.

In reality, the rich will be able to afford expensive treatments and expensive drugs to cure them while the poor will be offered death made expedient by this Bill The Bill in fact takes the decision out of the hands of those directly involved and systematises difficult and emotional events. The social justice principle of subsidiarity is ignored.