The economic cost of lockdowns means families should be allowed to let elderly relatives with COVID die by letting nature take its course. The comments come from staunch Catholic and former Australian Liberal Party Prime Minister, Tony Abbott. Abbott claims COVID is costing as much as A$200,000 (~NZ $220,000) to give an elderly person an Read more
I’ve had too many close encounters with death and dying lately. I guess it comes with the territory as you hit the slide side of 60. Too many funerals. There have been the inevitable losses of parents, something for which, despite the inevitability, you’re never quite prepared. And the sudden passing of those mates you Read more
When Hospice NZ reviewed the End of Life Choice Act, they were deeply concerned with the lack of clarity and detail when it came to the potential application of the End of Life Choice law. Following legal advice, Hospice NZ took an unprecedented action to seek clarity from the High Court on how the act Read more
In recent weeks there have been unsubstantiated claims in New Zealand media by pro-euthanasia, retired doctors or ‘veteran medical specialists’ around the End of Life Choice Act, which will be voted on during the upcoming referendum. As specialist doctors trained in palliative medicine and currently practising in New Zealand, we’re extremely concerned at their argument Read more
While stories of the Church denying both its call and Christ to pursue affection and belonging in the culture of its day are not uncommon. Thank God there are also many stories where the Church embraced the cross of their day, to be slain by the political and economic lords, in order to be a Read more
The Netherlands’ assisted suicide proposal to allow assisted suicide for healthy individuals over the age of 75 has drawn widespread criticism. A similar proposal in 2016 also faced opposition. It offers death rather than social support to people who are lonely and depressed, critics say. Among the critics is Dr. Gordon Macdonald, head of the Read more
Seven years ago I was told I had a 25 percent chance of living five years without the cancer returning; two years ago I was given 12 months to live. Plainly the upcoming End of Life Choice referendum concerns me, others like me, and all those involved in my care. I’ve just put the phone Read more
The Vatican has stripped 15 of the Belgian Brothers of Charity psychiatric institutions of their Catholic status because euthanasia was permitted on their premises. Brother Rene Stockman, superior general of the Brothers of Charity, says the brothers had “no choice but to remain faithful” to their “charism of charity, which cannot be reconciled with the Read more
Hospice New Zealand has applied for an urgent court hearing on whether it will be able to provide a euthanasia-free service should the proposed legislation be approved in a referendum scheduled to take place at the same time as the general election. The application – lodged by Hospice on April 9 – asks the High Read more
Dementia patients in the Netherlands may be legally euthanised. On April 22 the country’s highest court approved euthanising those who cannot express their wishes, so long as they have left an advance request in writing to say they wished to die. The ruling comes after the court heard a case of a woman who resisted Read more