Australian Bills: One defeated, one introduced, and one stonewalled

Description:

The South Australian voluntary euthanasia bill was unexpected defeated yesterday when Liberal MP David Ridgway unexpected changed his vote, resulting in an 11-9 defeat.

In Western Australia, Greens Upper House member Robin Chapple introduced a Bill in State Parliament which would allow terminally ill West Australians to choose to make a request to a medical practitioner for the administration of euthanasia. [The Parliament website does not have the bill online yet.]

In the state of Victoria, Attorney General Rob Hulls has declined to meet with Dying With Dignity Victoria to "discuss the Government's intention regarding the future of the Physicians Assisted Dying Legislation."

[Note: Some other recent stories related to this topic are in the Links: section below.]

Links:

To read the full article click on one of these links, both of which go to the same destination. A short link is provided for the convenience of readers. Also, readers may search and browse past advisories on the web (see bottom.)

  • http://tinyurl.com/yjoda36

  • http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/19/2747152.htm

    Also see:

  • South Australia parliament rejects euthanasia bill [The Age]
    http://news.theage.com.au/breaking-news-national/sa-parliament-rejects-euthanasia-bill-20091119-in5j.html

    "'To have the bill voted down is such a big disappointment,' Mr Parnell said on Thursday.'Yet to come so close is a sure sign that one day, very soon, the South Australian parliament will pass death-with-dignity laws…. This is by no means the last time the issue will come before the Upper House.'"

  • Greens push to legalise euthanasia in Western Australia [WAtoday (Western Australia Today)]
    http://www.watoday.com.au/wa-news/greens-push-to-legalise-euthanasia-in-wa-20091119-ioog.html

    "The WA Greens are paving the way for euthanasia to be legalised in WA after a study showed almost nine out of 10 West Australians support voluntary death. Greens Upper House member Robin Chapple introduced the Bill in State Parliament today which would allow terminally ill West Australians to choose to be euthanised"

  • Western Australia: Greens push for voluntary euthanasia [ABC News, Australia]
    http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/19/2748028.htm

    "The Greens M-P Robin Chapple has introduced a Private Members bill to parliament pushing for voluntary euthanasia to become legal. The Bill would allow any terminally ill West Australian over the age of 21, who is of sound mind and able to communicate his or her intentions, to ask a doctor to help them end their life."

  • Victoria state government refuses to meet with Dying With Dignity Victoria Society [Geelong Advertiser]
    http://www.geelongadvertiser.com.au/article/2009/11/19/123491_opinion.html

    Rod Mackenzie, OAM, a life member and patron of Dying With Dignity Victoria Society, writes that the Victorian Attorney General has refused to meet with DwDVS about the Physicians Assisted Dying Legislation. "The government's head-in-the-sand attitude means that thousands of mentally-alert, hopelessly-ill persons with absolutely no quality of life will continue to suffer greatly and be denied their right to a dignified end to their lives."

Source:

"Change of heart sinks euthanasia bill". ABC (Australian Broadcasting Corporation). Updated November 19, 2009 09:37:00. <www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/11/19/2747152.htm>. Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Ultimo Centre, 700 Harris Street, Ultimo NSW 2007, GPO Box 9994, Sydney NSW 2001.

Tags:

Tags (or keywords) briefly indicate some major topics of the report.

  • assisted suicide

  • euthanasia

  • legislation

  • South Australia

  • Western Australia

  • Victoria

  • Australia

ID:

The EuthaNEWSia ID for this advisory is: enid200911191829.
Mailed: Thursday, November 19, 2009 14:50:21 -0600
at Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

Etcetera:

EuthaNEWSia is a free Canadian news advisory service covering end-of-life issues such as right to die, assisted suicide, and euthanasia. EuthaNEWSia is produced by the Right to Die Society of Canada which works toward a good death for all, including open, regulated and equitable access to euthanasia and assisted suicide. The editor is Michael Dawson <editor@euthanewsia.ca>. 

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