Assistant speaker Ruth Dyson has accepted Maggie Barrie’s apology for shouting at her. Barrie said it was a “highly emotionally charged situation” and she acknowledged she was “over-zealous in expressing my disappointment with the way things were progressing”. Continue reading
Posts Tagged ‘euthanasia debate’
Euthanasia bill: One amendment down, more than 100 to go
Thursday, August 1st, 2019
The third reading of the End of Life Choice Bill began in the House of Representatives on Wednesday. It had passed its second reading, in June, 70 votes to 50. This stage will see politicians debating and individually voting on possibly more than a hundred changes to the bill, in a process that may take Read more
Why the euthanasia bill doesn’t go far enough
Thursday, July 18th, 2019
Please don’t kill me. That was my first reaction to the End of Life Choice Bill that the polls show most of the population agrees with. Of course, although I’m in my mid-sixties, I’m reasonably hale and hearty and surrounded by people I know and love in a warm house by the sea. I am Read more
More than 1000 doctors sign letter against ‘assisted suicide’ Bill
Monday, June 24th, 2019
The Care Alliance, a charity which opposes physician-assisted euthanasia, has taken out a full-page advertisement in the New Zealand Herald. The letter has been signed by 1061 doctors, of the 17,000 registered doctors in New Zealand. Medical Association chair Dr Kate Baddock agreeds with the letter and the majority of their more than 5000 members oppose Read more
End of Life Choice Bill should be withdrawn immediately
Thursday, April 11th, 2019Peter Thirkell, Secretary of the Care Alliance, has welcomed the Justice Select Committee’s statement that the End of Life Choice Bill “is not workable in its present state”. “Mr Seymour should withdraw his bill immediately. It is simply not feasible for MPs to try to ‘fix’ the bill during the Committee of the Whole House Read more
Euthanasia: “Catholics can keep their opinions to themselves”
Thursday, December 6th, 2018
Catholics are trying to dominate the euthanasia debate, says Heather du Plessis-Allan. As far as she is concerned they can keep their opinions to themselves. Du Plessis-Allan was commenting on a piece in Wellington’s DomPost, More than a moral dilemma: The religious and community views on euthanasia. She is the host of NewtalkZB’s morning programme in Read more
Euthanasia bill: $75,000 to find 700 lost submissions
Thursday, October 11th, 2018A bug in an IT system used to count submissions to the controversial euthanasia bill ended up costing $75,000 to find 700 missing forms. Continue reading
Presbyterian Church disagrees with euthanasia bill
Monday, October 8th, 2018The Presbyterian Church has come out against euthanasia in its biannual meeting, saying it is too dangerous for public safety in the long term. More than 300 people cast their vote to vote against the End Of Life Bill, which is currently before the Select Committee. The church’s convener, Reverend Stuart Lange, said legalising euthanasia Read more
David Seymour and Bill English debate euthanasia bill
Thursday, October 4th, 2018Emotions 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
Sir Bill and Dr Mary English make submissions on euthanasia
Monday, August 20th, 2018
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