Time to talk about dying
THIS letter is not about seeking support from the community for a voluntary assisted dying (VAD) law.
We know that more than 80 per cent of the population want to have a choice in how they die.
This letter is about advocating to have the VAD bill, as recommended by the Health Committee, debated before the state election in October.
An increasing number of organisations — including Dying with Dignity Queensland, the Electrical Trade Union, the Together Union, Drs4 Assisted Dying, Clem Jones Trust, Christians supporting Choice for VAD, Vale movement — and highprofile members of the Labor Party are calling on the premier to have the issue of VAD debated before the October 30 state election.
Labor MPS Jackie Trad, Shane King and Peter Russo have asked Queenslanders to sign a petition that calls for euthanasia laws to be brought before parliament during this term of government.
There is a real concern that if the VAD bill is not debated before the election and Labor loses government, then Queensland may not follow other states for many years.
Already Victoria and Western Australia have VAD laws, and South Australia, Tasmania and NSW are preparing to present another bill to their parliaments. The last time these states debated the issue, the law was narrowly defeated.
It is Labor Party policy to introduce a VAD law, but the premier seems reluctant to do so. Many
Queenslanders have lost confidence in the premier because of this. On the other hand, the LNP does not support VAD — disregarding the wishes of their constituents.
The Opposition Leader says she will agree to a conscience vote, but it is unlikely many LNP politicians will cross the floor.
The Health Committee conducted exhaustive and far-reaching research over 15 months before presenting its findings and recommendations to the government. This report was presented in March 2020 with a recommendation to support a VAD law. The Premier then referred the matter to the Queensland Law Reform Committee to draft legislation by next March — after the election.
There is no need whatsoever for the recommendations to be delayed.
There is no need for the premier to seek another law from the QLRC. The Health Committee’s report contained a suggested law, drawn up by former experienced Queensland law reform commissioners — Professor Lindy Willmott, who has served on the QLRC and authored more than 10 texts on the website End of Life Law in Australia as well as participated in projects to provide legal training to medical specialists about end-of-life law in Victoria, and Professor Ben White, a Rhodes scholar who has assisted in developing the legislatively mandated training that doctors must complete before undertaking assessments for VAD in Victoria. This is only part of the illustrious experience of both these highly qualified people.
The law in Victoria has progressed well since its conception. Fifty-two people have been able to escape the pain of death under this law.
Dr Cameron Mclaren, an oncologist, has assisted many of these deaths and says he sees it as a privilege and honour to be able to help end suffering. Most people have died peacefully in their own homes.
Christopher Brohier, from the Australian Christian Lobby, stated on Win News that voluntary assisted dying was going to introduce “a regime of hopelessness and fear”.
Nothing could be further from the truth! In fact, for people at end of life, who are dying and facing futile, horrendous suffering, to have the option to choose an assisted death puts them in control, gives them hope, and greatly reduces the toxic fear of how they might die.
Just having the choice of VAD is palliative in its own right. “To have the availability of VAD in addition to palliative care is a final act of Christian love, compassion and empathy for a suffering fellow human being,” said Ian Wood, Christians supporting VAD.
MARJORIE LAWRENCE, Condon.