Push to support assisted dying

THE State Government will come under renewed pressure to change euthanasia laws today as assisted dying campaigners converge on Parliament House demanding urgent legislative reform.

Every sitting Queensland MP has received an invitation to attend the Voluntary Assisted Dying Life Choices Forum where Queenslanders will talk of their personal experiences with dying loved ones.

Liz Whitton, whose husband Glen died in 2010 after a long battle with melanoma which cost him the removal of both eyes before the cancer moved to his liver, said Queensland had to take a step forward.

Ms Whitton said it was heartbreaking to watch her husband forced to endure a lengthy period of pain before he died, and she believed Glen’s suffering was ultimately meaningless.

“When we know that death is near, when we know it is merely a matter of days or perhaps weeks before the end, we should be able to help our loved ones and ourselves die with dignity, surrounded by those who love them,” she said.

End of life reform has special significance in Queensland because of backing from legendary Brisbane mayor Clem Jones.

The former mayor left a multimillion- dollar estate but specifically requested a large portion be earmarked to support euthanasia, with the bequest still funding groups such as Dying with Dignity, which push for law reform.

Clem Jones Trust chairman, David Muir, said the Queensland Parliament had not debated this critical issue and now was the time to respond to public concerns.

“This is not a party political issue, it is not a Government versus Opposition issue – it’s a matter of community concern requiring the deepest consideration,” Mr Muir said.