Pro-euthanasia bid for South Australian Upper House

Description: [of the article from the Australian Broadcasting Corporation]

Another Christian group is standing for the Legislative Council in the South Australian election, to counter the influence of Family First and push the case for voluntary euthanasia. Christians for Voluntary Euthanasia claims to be the first religious organisation in the world to stand on the controversial platform.

One of its two candidates, Reverend Craig de Vos, says it is time for a balanced debate and to help push voluntary euthanasia laws through parliament. "In some cases the best outcome for life is a dignified and good death and at the moment a lot of people don't get that," he said. Reverend de Vos is keen to revive legislation last put forward by Greens MP Mark Parnell. He thinks 'death with dignity' is supported by many Christians.

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

[Note: there are stories in the Overflow: section below.]

Links:

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Source:

"Pro-euthanasia bid for SA Upper House". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Posted March 3, 2010 09:06:00. <www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2010/03/03/2834951.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.

  • election

  • euthanasia

  • voluntary euthanasia

  • Christian

  • South Australia

  • Australia

Overflow:

Stories that EuthaNEWSia did not get to:

  • Canada Letter: Disability is not sickness [Grande Prairie Daily Herald Tribune]
    http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/search/euthanasia/SIG=123h5kk0d/*http://www.dailyheraldtribune.com/ArticleDisplay.aspx?e=2477064

    Dave Storey writes: Disabled individuals throughout history have often been portrayed as evil, villainous, inhuman, dumb, sick, or depraved; or conversely, angelic, childlike, innocent, pitiable, or objects of charity. None of Disability is part of who WE are and WE are strong and WE have pride in what WE accomplish!!! These "word" descriptions are even close to being accurate or even appropriate. But because of our appearances sometimes, possibly behaviour and language, we have been put in nursing homes, placed in institutions, and sometimes jails.

    We have been experimented upon, faced forced sterilization, and been subjected to genocide and now, possibly subjected to "legalized" genocide as one Bloc Quebecois MP Francine Lalonde, would like to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada to rid the country of the aged, the terminally ill, and the disabled. She has brought forth a Member's Bill, Bill C-384 to Legalize Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide, which has received first reading in June/09, and was to be debated in the fall of 2009 in the House of Commons. This is Lalonde's third attempt to legalize euthanasia and assisted suicide in Canada.

  • Canada: Cruel, unusual trial [The Globe and Mail]
    http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/cruel-unusual-trial/article1483797/

    The editors of The Globe and Mail write an editorial beginning with the paragraph: Prosecuting a suicidal, impoverished blind man in Thunder Bay for failing to stop his wife from killing herself is an almost sadistic use of state powers. Having kept Peter Fonteece, 47, in jail for 70 days after he was charged, and wrung a guilty plea out of him for criminal negligence causing death, Ontario justice now aims to put him behind bars for another nine months. How any of this judicial piling-on serves the public interest is beyond comprehension.

  • Re: "Dark lessons from our history should make us wary of euthanasia" [The Montreal Gazette]
    http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/todays-paper/comparison/2638783/story.html

    Commenting on the next item, Josette Lincourt writes: Comparing euthanasia to eugenics, as John Zucchi does, is another way of creating fear in the debate on euthanasia. Euthanasia laws, where they exist, are destined particularly for people who wish to end intolerable pain and suffering, and their request is usually by legal document and their desire is then scrutinized by a panel that includes some medical personnel. The decision is made when the person has all his or her wits.

    Why, when my life is no longer tolerable, can I not choose to end it in the same way I've chosen to end the suffering of beloved pets? When I'm incontinent with no neurons firing, suffering chronic pain, Zucchi and his cohorts will not bear my pain for me.

  • Canada: Dark lessons from our history should make us wary of euthanasia [The Montreal Gazette]
    http://www.montrealgazette.com/Dark+lessons+from+history+should+make+wary+euthanasia/2626137/story.html

    McGill University historian John Zucchi tells the story of the eugenics movement in Canada 100 years ago, and suggests that the right-to-die movement is comparably tainted: Fast forward to February 2010. Last week, Quebec began public hearings on the question of euthanasia. How things have changed! The province most resistant to social engineering is at the forefront when it comes to introducing licensed killing of the infirm, that is, people who might be too lonely and distressed to make a rational decision.

  • Idaho: A bad day for patients, a good day for lawyers [Idaho Statesman]
    http://us.rd.yahoo.com/dailynews/rss/search/euthanasia/SIG=12n8vl6vb/*http://www.idahostatesman.com/2010/03/03/1102062/a-bad-day-for-patients-a-good.html

    The editors of the Statesman attack the recent move of the Idaho Senate: Last week, 21 Idaho senators injected themselves into private, painful decisions about conception, abortion and euthanasia. Some of these same lawmakers are usually the quickest to complain about government intrusion. Instead, at the behest of the anti-abortion lobby, they tossed those concerns aside. They passed Senate Bill 1353, which speaks innocuously, but misleadingly, about the "freedom of conscience" of health care professionals. What this bill also does is limit patients' freedoms to explore their legally and constitutionally protected options.

  • Baroness Finlay: "Doctors must redouble efforts to relieve patients' distress" [Wales Online]
    http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/health-news/2010/03/04/in-the-debate-over-how-to-treat-the-seriously-ill-doctors-must-redouble-efforts-torelievedistress-not-simply-process-death-by-appointment-91466-25958835/

    Baroness Finlay, professor of palliative medicine at Cardiff University and Velindre Hospital, writes in opposition to euthanasia (including assisted suicide): The practice of assisted suicide or euthanasia would be doubly dangerous if it becomes part of health care; healthcare must help patients with illness and disability in living and dying well, not taking shortcuts by helping them kill themselves.

  • Dangerous delusion of recovery: Rom Houben [The Australian]
    http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/health-science/dangerous-delusion-of-recovery-rom-houben/story-e6frg8y6-1225837144766

    DISMISSED for half a lifetime as being in a vegetative state, Belgian Rom Houben seemed able to communicate for the first time in 23 years. An assistant sensed tiny movements in his finger and helped him to tap out sentences on a computer. His poignant observations and lack of bitterness at spending so long "locked in" a completely paralysed body touched many when his case came to light, causing an international sensation. He was said to be writing a book.

    But Houben's care home now has banned the contentious technique of facilitated communication and Houben's thoughts are again considered beyond reach. The 46-year-old's brief period of lucidity was a fantasy, his doctors declared after carrying out further tests. The issue has led to bitter recriminations between medics, carers and relatives who are refusing to abandon the approach that had apparently brought Houben back to life. As well as raising painful questions about the true state of his consciousness, the case has implications for hundreds of other brain-injury patients suspected by their families of retaining full awareness while lacking the physical means to communicate.

  • China: Drug dealer of death tracked by online cops [AsiaOne.com]
    http://news.asiaone.com/News/AsiaOne%2BNews/Crime/Story/A1Story20100304-202344.html

    Beijing police are investigating the case of a drug dealer who advertises himself as a humanitarian selling euthanasia drugs in the capital. The online promotion has a long list of drugs that include the highly toxic and potentially lethal sodium cyanide.

  • Massachusetts: Time to let terminally ill on their own terms [Salem News]
    http://www.salemnews.com/puopinion/local_story_063001023.html

    This conservative columnist writes in support of euthanasia, including the comment: In my opinion, one question at least should be asked if the patient has been diagnosed as terminal: Do you want to continue dying awhile longer, or not?

  • Melbourne Gathers Against Internet Censorship [The Inquisitr]
    http://www.inquisitr.com/64735/wire-melbourne-gathers-against-internet-censorship/

    March 3, 2010: (Inquisitr Wire) - A broad cross-section of concerned citizens, advocacy groups and local activists have gathered to organise a forum to voice public opposition to the Labor Government's controversial and unpopular Mandatory Internet Filtering scheme. Coming together under the banner of STOP THE FILTER, their efforts are part of a nationwide push to inject much-needed balance and public voice to the debate, with Saturday 6 March designated as a National Day of Action.

  • Australia: Report slams suicide mother's treatment [The West Australian]
    http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/-/breaking/6866430/report-slams-suicide-mothers-treatment/

    A damning report by WA's chief psychiatrist that the Health Department fought to keep secret for nearly a year found a depressed Perth mother-of-four who killed herself in Mexico with a euthanasia drug received "superficial" treatment from a specialist mental health clinic. Erin Berg's family say Dr Rowan Davidson's report highlights the "breathtaking incompetence" of staff at the southern suburbs centre, which was managing the 39-year-old's case as a community outpatient after her involuntary stay at King Edward Memorial Hospital.

  • Scotland: Call for views over assisted suicide Bill [The Scotsman]
    http://news.scotsman.com/politics/Call-for-views-over-assisted.6118614.jp

    A COMMITTEE of MSPs set up to look at Margo MacDonald's Bill on assisted dying is to ask for public comments on the proposals. The committee held its first meeting yesterday and appointed former Liberal Democrat minister Ross Finnie as convener and Lothians SNP MSP and former Wester Hailes GP Ian McKee as deputy convener…

    Mr Finnie said: "Following our committee's first meeting, our next step will be to issue a call for written evidence to all interested parties. This will enable us to gain as much information as possible before calling witnesses to give oral evidence."… The call for written evidence will be issued later this week, with ten weeks for responses. The committee is expected to start taking oral evidence in September.

  • Scotland: End of Life Assistance Committee to Meet [The Press and Journal]
    http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1624421

    A HOLYROOD committee set up to examine the case for legalising assisted suicide is meeting for the first time next week. Liberal Democrat MSP Ross Finnie is expected to be sworn in as the convener of The End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill committee on Tuesday. Members will scrutinise the merits of introducing new legislation at the behest of independent MSP Margo MacDonald, who suffers from Parkinson's disease.

ID:

The EuthaNEWSia ID for this advisory is: enid201003057498.
Mailed: Friday, March 5, 2010 14:23:14 -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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