Euthanasia bill sweeps through first stage 76-44
NZ First’s support in later steps of progress into law depends on binding referendum
Legislation for voluntary euthanasia has easily cleared its first hurdle after emotional debate in which MPs recalled the slow deaths of their loved ones. The End of Life Choice Bill passed in a conscience vote last night 76 votes to 44 against.
Matt Vickers, whose wife Lecretia Seales campaigned for euthanasia as she was dying, clapped and smiled in the public gallery when Speaker Trevor Mallard confirmed the vote.
While some politicians are firmly for or against, others have made clear their support is only at first reading and they remain undecided on backing the legislation further.
Act leader David Seymour, who introduced the bill, said people were suffering needlessly and there was a risk of “amateur, violent suicide” by dying people who wanted out.
“I know people in this room have watched it happen and said, never again . . . the current situation is an absurdity . . . we cannot shirk our duty,” Seymour said, mentioning the case of a staffer in Parliament who had failed to commit suicide after being diagnosed with Huntington’s.
“Our fellow New Zealanders are suffering . . . their suffering is needless and it hurts all of humanity.”
National Party leader Bill English opposed the legislation, saying it removed a principle at the core of the law — the blanket prohibition on taking a life of another.
“In removing that prohibition which has been in our law as long as this country has existed, this bill is taking a huge step. “It is too big a risk to take.” English said, as lawmakers, it was necessary to weigh a role as a parent, child or friend of someone suffering near death with having laws to protect society and its most vulnerable.
Lobby groups on both sides of the debate became increasingly vocal before last night’s vote, accusing each other of fear-mongering and misinformation. Some MPs received more than 1000 emails on it yesterday.
Advocates such as Seymour maintain the tide of history is on their side, likening voluntary euthanasia to past policy battles on access to contraception, no-fault divorce, and homosexual law reform. Opponents, including an alliance of the Salvation Army and the Australian and NZ Society of Palliative Medicine, see the change as unethical and fraught with problems including reliable consent.
Legalising voluntary euthanasia would follow in the footsteps of a handful of overseas jurisdictions, including the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and five US states.
Labour MP Louisa Wall referenced Seales in her speech, saying it was now up to Parliament to provide a mechanism for people in the position she had faced.
“She was competent. She was clear . . . she couldn’t care for herself, she couldn’t go to the toilet . . . it was
Our fellow New Zealanders are suffering . . . their suffering is needless and it hurts all of humanity. David Seymour, Act leader
degrading for her,” Walls said.
The bill would allow mentally competent adults who have a terminal illness likely to end their life within six months, or have a grievous and irremediable medical condition, the choice to ask a doctor to help end their life at the time of their choosing.
The Director-General of Health would create a group of doctors who would maintain a register of health professionals willing to help.
A new process would require two medical practitioners to be satisfied a person meets the required criteria. The second would be independent of the patient and initial doctor.
Most parties are allowing MPs to lodge conscience votes, but NZ First’s nine MPs voted as a bloc in favour of the legislation. It agreed to vote for Seymour’s bill after he agreed to publicly support the holding of a binding referendum on the issue.
The bill will be considered by the justice select committee over an extended nine-month period, rather than the usual six months.