1. Dr Megan Best University of Sydney University of Notre Dame Australia
Euthanasia, Physician-assisted suicide, Assisted suicide, Assisted dying, Death with Dignity, Medical Aid in Dying, choose your own euphemism
Dr Megan Best
University of Sydney
University of Notre Dame Australia

2. Biblical ethics Love God and neighbour Mt 22:37-40: MOTIVATION
God knows our hearts Mt 5
INTENTION
God sees our actions M t5
ACTIONS
End does not justify the means Rom 3:8
CONSEQUENCES

3. You shall not kill – Exodus 20:16 Humans made in the image of God - Genesis 1:27 Our bodies are not our own – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 Salt and light – Matthew 5

4. The current challenge
‘In total in 2017 across the globe, there have been something like 20 bills introduced in various places and none have been successful. This is definitely not inevitable…
Victoria is without doubt the most significant risk at the moment.’

5. Euthanasia update: responding to the current challenge
South Australia: Death with Dignity Bill 2016: defeated by one vote Tasmania: Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017: defeated 16 against, 8 for Victoria: Inquiry into End of Life Choices 2016 Ministerial Advisory Panel for Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017 NSW: NSW Parliamentary Working Group on Assisted Dying. Draft Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017

6. Victoria: call for submissions
No opposition to euthanasia to be expressed
in feedback
Assisted dying as part of medical practice
Safeguards or barriers to overcome?

7. Syme v Medical Board of Australia [2016] VCAT 2150
In Syme the Victorian Civil & Administrative Tribunal tribunal finds, as a matter of law, that:
Providing drugs that have the sole purpose and effect of ending life, at the request of a person who wishes to use the drug for that purpose, is not ‘harmful’ and does not place anybody at risk of harm.
The AMA position statement on the role of the medical practitioner in the end of life care 2007 (amended 2014) supports the practice of providing Nembutal for the purpose of assisting a patient’s suicide as an ethical and valid form of palliative care.

8. NSW
“Need to regulate current practice of patients being killed by their doctors in palliative care”
MISUNDERSTANDINGS of NORMAL MEDICAL PRACTICE:
that morphine does not shorten life
metabolic changes at end of life
that pain at the end of life is usually treatable

9. Propaganda: Dying with Dignity
Denying: Death of mentally incompetent patients in the Netherlands Expansion of categories for eligibility Failure to treat depressed patients requesting death Increases in ‘non-assisted’ suicide

10. The Canadian experience:
Medical assistance in dying could reduce annual health care spending
across Canada by between $34.7 million and $138.8 million, exceeding the $1.5–$14.8 million in direct costs associated with its implementation
Trachtenberg AJ, Manns B. Cost analysis of medical assistance in dying in Canada. CMAJ January 23;189:E doi: /cmaj

11. Right of conscientious objection
"In a high-level report to be considered by cabinet, an expert panel is set to recommend allowing doctors to hold a ‘conscientious objection’ to physician-assisted death – similar to the provisions that allow them to refuse abortions in Victoria."
Faith-based hospital services will likely receive some form of exemption …Such a provision was successfully challenged in the Belgian courts a few years ago.  
Greens call for cut in funding for Catholic hospitals refusing to allow staff to perform euthanasia in Victoria.

12. What can you do?

13. Community to Decide MP’s Euthanasia Vote
Mark Rayner 
13th July 2017 
Daily Liberal 
BIG ISSUE: Troy Grant, pictured with Michael Kneipp and Des Kennedy, is urging residents to fill in a survey about their position on euthanasia. 
A majority community vote in favour of voluntary euthanasia would see Dubbo MP Troy Grant decide to vote in favour of a Bill at the next sitting of Parliament. 
No survey, But Donato Wants to See Safeguards on Voluntary Euthanasia Bill 
CENTRAL WESTERN DAILY 
10th July 2017 
CAUTIOUS: Member for Orange Phil Donato says he wants to see a psychiatrist involved in requests for euthanasia should the bill proceed 
Dubbo MP Troy Grant will survey his constituents before considering his position on a euthanasia law, but member for Orange Phil Donato expects he will be satisfied provided there are safeguards in place. 
The Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 
Northern Tablelands MP Adam Marshall is asking the community to provide him with their thoughts on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill