Next year New Zealanders will vote in a referendum on whether euthanasia should be legalised after a long-fought bill passed 69 to 51 in parliament on Wednesday. If endorsed by the public in a referendum the new law will allow those who are terminally ill to request assisted dying. Earlier in the day Stuff published an opinion Read more
Former Prime Minister Bill English has criticised many of the proposed changes at a select committee hearing on Wednesday. He launched into a fierce defence of the right of medical professionals to conscientiously object to carrying out abortions if the changes were made. Read more
Emotions were running high as vocal proponents for and against euthanasia debated the controversial issue at a public meeting in Wellington, with doctor culpability and protections for the vulnerable both front and centre. Continue reading
Former New New Zealand prime minister the Right Honourable Sir Bill English and his wife Dr Mary English made a submission to a parliamentary committee considering the End of Life Choice Bill last Thursday. Mary English has worked as a general practitioner for 28 years. She has a practice in the inner Wellington suburb of Kelburn. They Read more
Cardinal John Dew is one of a number of New Zealanders representing a broad spectrum of society who have praised former Prime Minister Bill English since he announced his retirement from politics earlier this year. He recently told an Australian Catholic journalist that it had been a great privilege to work with English. In an interview with Read more
The term ‘personality politics’ has been thrown around this election more than in others. I can see why people don’t want politics to be all about personality. Our age is dominated by a celebrity culture that’s often superficial. People rightly don’t want superficial selfishness to seep into our politics. We want politics to be a Read more
The Prime Minister, Saturday, said changing vulnerable young people’s lives was more difficult than changing the economy. But, they can change. He made the comments when opening Marist Challenge House in Johnsonville, Wellington. “The challenge of changing things in government, in agencies and the economy is relatively easy when compared to the challenges some of Read more
US Secretary of State, Rex Tillerson, will meet New Zealand’s Prime Minister Bill English and Foreign Minister Gerry Brownlee in Wellington next Tuesday. Brownlee says he welcomes the visit. He said the United States and New Zealand “share a deep interest in maintaining peace, prosperity and stability in the Asia Pacific region” The turtle in Read more
Cardinal John Dew was one of a group of church leaders who met with the Prime Minister and Government ministers to ask for more action in the areas of immigration, housing and social investment. Their views are influenced by the experience of their church congregations and church based social agencies in most New Zealand communities. Read more
“What exactly is your job?” That is the question The 11-year-old Sada Taualai asked the Prime Minister Bill English last Friday. “I’m the leader of the government and we do all sorts of things from locking up criminals to paying for the school,” he told Sada who ticked the question on his clipboard, nodded, then Read more