Labor split on death argument

ANNASTACIA Palaszczuk is facing a push from grassroots Labor members to guarantee euthanasia laws will be debated in Parliament before next year’s state election.

There are plans to move a motion from the floor at this weekend’s Queensland Labor conference to force the Premier’s hand on the issue.

It comes after several crossfactional regional member assemblies held ahead of the conference passed Left faction motions calling for the reform to be brought in during the current term as a matter of urgency “to prevent ongoing and unnecessary suffering”.

Members fear the opportunity to bring it in could be lost if debate is delayed until after the state election and Labor either loses or fails to keep its majority on the floor.

At the same time, there is a rearguard action within the party and the Government to put any potential euthanasia laws on ice following the party’s shocking federal election loss in Queensland.

Some fear Labor was punished at the ballot box for focusing on social issues over jobs. They want euthanasia laws to be pushed out past October 2020 and only dealt with should Labor win a third term.

The Premier has refused to be drawn on whether laws allowing voluntary assisted dying for the terminally ill could be debated before the October 2020 poll.

She said she wanted to wait until a parliamentary committee considering potential new euthanasia laws reports back.

The committee conducting the inquiry was due to report back at the end of November. But it has since added a probe into the collapse of the Earle Haven nursing home to its duties, sparking speculation that date will now be pushed back.

Clem Jones Trust chairman David Muir has renewed his call for Parliament to consider the laws this term.