Decision on VAD blasted

TOWNSVILLE’S most senior Catholic Church official says Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk is playing with people’s emotions after she announced a Labor government would rush through the Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation.

Catholic Bishop of Townsville Tim Harris is disappointed in the Queensland Premier’s “backflip” after previously committing to draft legislation being prepared by the Queensland Law Reform Commission (QLRC).

“This is clearly a backflip on her commitment that she would wait for the report from the QLRC in March, and I am deeply disturbed and disappointed by this clear election stunt,” he said.

“As I have said many times before and it was the central message in my Dying Peacefully – No Euthanasia Sunday homily last week, the Catholic Church is opposed to voluntary assisted dying and we strongly support a ‘care first’ approach of high-quality palliative care.”

Ms Palaszczuk announced the decision to introduce the Voluntary Assisted Dying legislation in February.

She also made a $171 million commitment to palliative care.

“Older Queenslanders worked hard to build this state and I want to continue to look after them,” she said.

“My Government will invest $171 million to improve the care provided to Queenslanders at the end of their lives.

“This will be the biggest single injection in palliative care funding in Queensland’s history.”

Bishop Harris felt the Premier was playing with people’s emotions.

Thuringowa MP Aaron Harper, who chaired the Voluntary Assisted Dying committee, urged the church to “listen to the people”.