Victorian Parliament urged to allow euthanasia bill a ‘natural death’

Australian Christian Lobby - Media Release

1, June 2008

The Australian Christian Lobby (ACL) today called on members of Victoria’s Legislative Council to allow a controversial euthanasia bill set to be tabled this week to ‘die a natural death’.

ACL Victorian Director Rob Ward said the Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill 2008 will reportedly be introduced by Greens MLC Colleen Hartland this Wednesday but he is urging Upper House members not to give leave for it to be debated.

“We understand that the Brumby Government, which has the numbers in the Legislative Assembly, is likely to stop the bill from proceeding to debate in the Lower House and ACL urges the Upper House to do the same,” Mr Ward said.

“Although it is dressed up in compassionate terms, this is a dreadful bill which would devalue life, put vulnerable people at risk, and accept killing as a form of treatment. It should be completely rejected and not given the benefit of any debate time in Parliament.”

Mr Ward said that doctors and others in the caring profession are in a position of trust with those under their care, with this trust built on the sure and firm knowledge that they are there to care, not to kill.

“The proposed bill changes this premise to one where doctors, who have committed themselves to provide the best possible care for patients, will instead be called upon to prescribe drugs that will end their lives,” Mr Ward said.

“Supposed safeguards don’t work. For example, in Holland where euthanasia has been legal for some years, research indicates that around 1,000 people are killed each year without their consent. Euthanasia is not wrong just because it is illegal, it is illegal because it is just wrong.”

Mr Ward said that each and every person is of unique value regardless of their physical or mental state.

“As a society we should be seeking to ease people’s pain through better palliative care, not promoting killing as a cheap alternative to actually helping people,” he said.

“History speaks volumes about a society that would put vulnerable people at risk like this. Victorians are better than that.”

Media Contact: Rob Ward on 0408 348 352 or Glynis Quinlan on 0408 875 979

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