A petition due to be presented to Parliament could be the catalyst for a fresh debate on voluntary euthanasia.
Labour’s Iain Lees-Galloway says the End of Life Choice Society petition will be tabled at the first opportunity in Parliament and will go straight to a select committee.
An editorial under the heading, the devil is in the detail, in the New Zealand Herald says that the reluctance of politicians to take up the cause is “perfectly understandable because the practicalities of voluntary euthanasia are as difficult as the principles it raises.”
Look at Nathaniel Centre for Catholic resources for end of life issues.
No party except ACT seems anxious to promote the cause.
ACT leader David Seymour has confirmed he is drafting a private member’s bill calling for a debate on euthanasia and will urge the Government to adopt the bill.
Seymour said the public view had changed over recent years and polls suggested most Kiwis were in favour of choice.
“Since 1995 and 2003 the world has changed quite dramatically and I believe that it’s time for Parliament to actually debate this issues.”
National Prime Minister John Key said the Government will not put euthanasia on its work programme but will support an inquiry into the issue.
He says for any law to be passed, a private member’s bill will have to be put before Parliament.
“In the past I have personally voted for euthanasia, as I do have some sympathy for that argument.”
The National caucus may be forced to debate the issue anyway – MP Judith Collins has confirmed she will raise the issue with her colleagues.
Labour’s Andrew Little said a member’s bill was not the right way to debate such an important issue.
“The problem with the member’s bill process is it’s a lottery and….then it becomes party political and that’s certainly the way it was heading till now. ”
During the last parliamentary term, former Labour MP Maryan Street proposed and championed the End-of-Life Choice Bill, which was taken over by Iain Lees-Galloway, when she failed to make it back into Parliament.
But Little told him to drop it as the party had more pressing issues to attend to.
Green Party co-leader Metiria Turei said the party supported a select committee inquiry, which could make recommendations to Parliament.
“It would be a better way to do it rather than rely on one individual party …it’s a much better message for us to send to the community, that Parliament is making a response.”
UnitedFuture leader Peter Dunne said it was time for a wider debate in the community about advanced care planning.
“Any legislative change should flow from that.”
The Maori Party said it did not have a formal position on euthanasia but was open to a debate.
Party co-leader Marama Fox said her personal view was that assisted suicide legislation wasn’t needed.
NZ First leader Winston Peters supports a referendum on the matter and says it’s not for MPs to be making the decision.
“My personal view is that I’m happy to live with the public view after a properly funded and reasonable debate to decide.”
Last year the Care Alliance was launched as an umbrella organisation groups opposed to euthanasia
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