Vast majority want end-of-life reform

AN overwhelming majority of respondents to a State Government inquiry examining law reform for voluntary assisted dying want the Government to legalise euthanasia.

A landmark parliamentary inquiry, considering whether Queenslanders should be allowed the right to die at a time of their choosing, was held in Cairns yesterday morning.

Health Committee chairman and Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper said the inquiry had received about 5500 written submissions, from people ranging from medical specialists through to everyday Far North Queenslanders.

“A lot of people, we’ve found, of those submissions – they are heavily weighted for pro,” he said.

The committee will report its findings, based on written and oral submissions to the inquiry, to Queensland Parliament by November 30.

Mr Harper, who is a former paramedic, declined to share his own opinion of end-of-life care, saying it was his role as chairman of the committee to provide a balanced viewpoint of the issue.

“Clearly, in 28 years with ambulance, I’ve seen many people suffer at end of life, but I’ll withhold my personal views until our report is done,” he said.

Clem Jones Group chairman David Muir said that Queenslanders clearly wanted reform for end-of-life care to enable choice to die without unnecessary suffering.

“Palliative care can help most people, most of the time, but palliative care experts here and around the world say there is a small number of people it can’t help,” he said.

“If we can’t turn away the suffering of those people, that’s what this is all about.

“This is a chance to give a voice to the average Queenslander to speak before the palliative inquiry to tell their stories, to agitate for law reform and hopefully in November, when this committee reports back to Parliament, it recommends reform.”