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Federal Election 2022 – candidate support for restoring Right of Territories to make their Voluntary Assisted Dying law

09/05/2022 / Ian Wood

While there are many important issues that form part of Policies, or lack of Policies, in this Federal Election, restoring the Right of the Territories to make their own Voluntary Assisted Dying laws is surely one issue to be addressed, especially now that 5 Australian states now have a VAD law.

In view of this, I contacted each of the Federal Lower House candidates for Whitlam, where I am located in NSW, and the lead Senate candidates for every Party listed for NSW, asking if they would support a VAD law for the Territories, overturning of what is known as the ‘Andrews Bill’ at the time of the Howard Government, that took away the Right of the Territories to enact such a law..

Some of the responses were very thoughtful and supportive, and yet in so many other cases, I received no reply at all.

Here is a table summarizing the responses >

Party	Yes/no	Comment
Labor	Yes for Whitlam	Stephen Jones, Labor MP for Whitlam, has personally indicated his support for a VAD law to Ian Wood. No reply from Senate candidates for Labor
Coalition		No response from Liberal or National Party Senate candidates
Greens	Yes	Have a long standing policy of support for VAD laws.
United Australia	Yes	Allan Wode. United Australia Party candidate for Whitlam, stated – In regards to states and territories having the ability to pass VAD law, I do support this due to most have already made up their mind to do so. Based on the ability people have when they are at this stage of life, most cannot do anything about it so they live on in agony until the end. In saying that as with anything there needs to be clear and irrefutable evidence of being terminally ill and enduring suffering they find unbearable. Without clear guidelines on VAD laws it could be misconstrued as a way out for those that cannot help themselves out of depression or other illness to not be a contributor of society. Support by United Australia Party Senate candidates is unknown.
TNL		No reply
Great Australia		No reply
Reason	Yes	Jane Caro, Reason Party lead Senate candidate, strong support for a VAD law. Very understandable as the Reason Party in NSW was formerly the Voluntary Euthanasia Party.
Animal Justice	Yes	No reply but have supported VAD laws previously
Liberal Democrats		No reply from Michael Wheeler, candidate for Whitlam, nor from their Senate candidates
Indigenous-Aboriginal		No reply, contact email bounced!
Socialist Alliance		No reply
Australian Democrats		No reply
Australian Values	Yes	Stated – Per our Health Policy, we believe that such [VAD} laws should be standardised at the Federal Layer of Government. We have had enough of the States having different laws for the health and welfare of Australian Citizens. We are also pro-choice for people to make their own health decisions.
Citizens	Yes	Kingsley Liu, Citizens Party Senate Candidate stated – Yes. – they support restoring the Right for the Territories to have a VAD law, and a VAD law for NSW
Fusion	Yes	Andrea Leong Fusion Party Senate candidate stated- Voluntary assisted dying is an important aspect of the principle of self-ownership. Support for voluntary assisted dying is not a statement of any kind on the value of life, it is merely respect for the right of persons to make decisions on these matters for themselves in the light of their individual circumstances. While safeguards are necessary, all people should be allowed to live and end their lives with dignity and peace. Bans on voluntary assisted dying create a legacy of suffering and a shattering loss of dignity and autonomy.
Medical Options		No reply
Federal ICAC		No reply
Sustainable Australia	Yes	Late response. Sustainable Australia Party candidates do generally support states and territories making their own decisions on this issue and do generally support VAD laws.
One Nation	No	No reply, but have previously indicated One Nation do not support a VAD law.
Legalise Cannabis		No reply
Seniors United		No reply
SFFP		No reply re Federal Election. However for NSW Parliament we have this curious situation where the Shooters. Fishers and Farmer in HA support VAD and the Upper House MPs oppose!

Regardless of who ends up in Government, I sincerely hope that this Right of the Territories to make their VAD law can be restored. It is inequitable, discriminatory and inhumane that the ACT and the NT are currently excluded. We are still hoping that by the date of the Federal Election on May 19, NSW may have become the final state to pass their Voluntary Assisted Dying law.

Thank you for Continue reading

Petition to the NSW Parliament – Please pass the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 without delay

24/02/2022 / Ian Wood

Five states in Australia now have a Voluntary Assisted Dying law and only New South Wales is lagging behind. We need this compassionate end-of-life choice in addition to palliative care.

A VAD Bill passed the NSW Lower House on the last sitting day of 2021 by a substantial majority of 52 votes to 32. The Bill has now been introduced in the Upper House, to be debated in the coming weeks. Please add your name to the ePetition now, to help make this Voluntary Assisted Dying law a reality in NSW.

PETITION TO NSW PARLIAMENT: Please pass the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill without delay

Bertie and Darcie Daniels lost their Dad Lawrie in 2016. He took his own life in 2016 after years suffering MS. If assisted dying laws had been in place these children would have more time with their beloved Dad. They want to spare other families the same tragedy.

Photo: Go Gentle Australia

If you live in New South Wales please add your name today to the ePetition using this link > Please pass the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill without delay

If you live outside of NSW but have family or friends in NSW who support the Voluntary Assisted Dying Choice, please share the ePetition link with them today.

A new NSW Legislative Council ePetition ‘Please pass the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 without delay’ – is open for you to sign.

11/02/2022 / Ian Wood

A post for the huge majority of voters in New South Wales who support Voluntary Assisted Dying choice.

An new ePetition ‘Please pass the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021 without delay’ is now open for signatures on the NSW Parliament website.

You can find the ePetition here > https://www.parliament.nsw.gov.au/lc/pages/epetition-details.aspx?q=GJ4dfvM5HMkcInxR8OeCrw

Please sign now and please share with all your friends and family in NSW who would wish to have this compassionate End-of-Life Choice passed in NSW.

We are the only state still without a VAD Act! The NSW Lower House passed a VAD Bill 52 votes to 32 on the last sitting day 2021, but your help is needed now to get it through the final hurdle – the Legislative Council. Debate may start in the Legislative Council as early as February 22nd, 2022

Together we can make it happen!

Note that those opposing our Right to choose VAD in NSW have a counter Petition, so your assistance by signing in support is vital.

If you are reading this and live outside of New South Wales, but know people in NSW who support VAD, please share this post with them now.

Photo: DWD NSW

Thank you, and please stay Covid free.

Ian Wood

Spokesperson and Co-founder, Christians Supporting Choice for Continue reading

Archbishop Desmond Tutu gave his blessing to the Voluntary Assisted Dying campaign in Australia.

29/12/2021 / Ian Wood

We mourn the death of Anglican Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu on 26.12 2021

Archbishop Tutu was a leader in human rights issues as well as a strong supporter of Voluntary Assisted Dying.

One of the world’s most highly regarded religious leaders, Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of South Africa stated in the video message above: “People who are terminally ill should have the option of dignified and compassionate assisted dying alongside the wonderful palliative care that already exists”. “I pray that lawmakers, politicians and religious leaders have the courage to support choices terminally ill citizens make in departing Mother Earth with dignity and love.”

Ian Wood, spokesperson for the Australian group, Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying, said in 2017 on an earlier post on this website, “I am delighted to learn that Archbishop Tutu is willing to give his blessing and support to our Christian campaign for legislation to allow the option of compassionate choice for a person who is terminally or incurably ill with intolerable suffering.”

“The Archbishop recognises the enormous value of palliative care, Continue reading

Sept 22nd 2021 marks 25 years since the first legal assisted death of Bob Dent in NT and 4 years since the tragic dying of Elizabeth Holmes in NSW

22/09/2021 / Ian Wood

On September 22, 2021, we recall the first legal assisted death in Australia, in fact in the world, that of Bob Dent in the Northern Territory on September 22, 1996, 25 years ago. Bob had suffered from prostate cancer. We thank Marshall Perron, who, as the Chief Minister of the NT, initiated this legislation. Sadly, this legislation was overturned by Federal Parliament the following year by the Howard Government by what has been known as the Andrews Bill. We acknowledge Bob’s wife, Judy, who, as President of the NTVES (NT Voluntary Euthanasia Society), has been lobbying for 25 years to have the Right of the Territory restored to the NT Parliament to enact a VAD Bill.

Tragically, on the same date, September 22, but in 2017, Elizabeth Holmes, who had been in agony for some time from stage 4 breast cancer and other serious health problems, decided the only way to relieve her suffering was to take her own life in Tamworth, New South Wales. As Elizabeth (Liz) noted just prior to her death, this desperate action could have been avoided if NSW had had a Voluntary Assisted Dying Law. Such a law would have given Liz a compassionate extra choice in the manner of her dying.

New South Wales is now the only state remaining without a VAD law, It is time! COVID-19 has made many of us contemplate our dying and should not be used as a reason for delaying legislation.

This following speech by Sandra Nelson, MLA for Katherine, NT, talks of the circumstances prior to the death of Elizabeth Holmes. It is surely yet another reason why a Voluntary Assisted Dying law is needed in New South Wales. The speech has now been shared with all NSW Members of Parliament by Elizabeth Holmes’ daughter.
Posted here, including photos, with permission.

ADJOURNMENT – EUTHANASIA
23 November 2017
Madam Speaker, I rise tonight to commend Premier of Victoria – Daniel Andrews and his government on the historic passing of voluntary euthanasia laws which were passed in Victoria’s Upper House on Wednesday 22nd November.
Madam Speaker , There are few topics as popular, and yet divisive, as euthanasia. Both sides raise compelling arguments, and those arguments are numerous.

End of life care for the terminally ill or those with ir-remediable illnesses is dictated by law, regardless of what is in the best interests of the patient. The current prohibition on assisted suicide is at odds with our otherwise patient-centred health system, it’s almost contradictory. This is the one area of medical care in which the patient’s views cannot be considered and taken into account in determining a course of action.

Many of those who would seek assisted suicide are not physically capable of taking their own life. Even where a person is capable of taking action themselves, it is my opinion that it is barbaric to leave them with the choice between a potentially long and undignified death or violent options to take their own life.

The Northern Territory likes to think of itself as frontier country – it was certainly at the forefront of the international debate over euthanasia. On 25 May 1995 it became the first jurisdiction in the world to pass laws allowing a doctor to end the life of a terminally ill patient at the patient’s request. In doing so, the law permitted both physician-assisted suicide, and active voluntary euthanasia in some circumstances.

And under the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995 (NT) strict conditions applied: it is neither an unqualified ‘licence to kill’ nor an unqualified affirmation of a competent adult patient’s right to assistance in dying.

Madam Speaker, a couple of weeks ago I was visited in my electorate office by Sharon Cramp and her husband Spud.
Sharon and Spud shared with me the story about Sharon’s beautiful mother, Elizabeth Ann Holmes. Liz broke her back when she was 53, she battled breast cancer for 12 years, and had Continue reading

“There is nothing holy about agony” – UK religious people and leaders support assisted dying too!

10/09/2021 / Ian Wood

There is nothing holy about agony: religious people and leaders support assisted dying too

My thanks to the BMJ for publishing the following article. Ian Wood, Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying Group, Australia.

BMJ 2021; 374 doi: https://doi.org/10.1136/bmj.n2094 (Published 09 September 2021) Cite this as: BMJ 2021;374:n2094

Jonathan Romain, rabbi and vice chair,

George Carey, former Archbishop of Canterbury

A new alliance of faith leaders has formed to ensure the voice of religious proponents of legalised assisted dying is heard. The former Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey and rabbi Jonathan Romain argue that nothing in the scripture directly prohibits assisting a death to end suffering.

We are leaders of a new religious alliance in support of doctor assisted dying (along with Archbishop Desmond Tutu and Reverend Canon Rosie Harper). We have launched this initiative because we are concerned about the impression being conveyed that all faith groups are implacably opposed to changes in the law to help people longing to die on their own terms, without discomfort, indignity, or extreme pain. This is not the case. A massive change is going on in religious attitudes to assisted dying (by which a person is given a prescription for life ending drugs, which they themselves then order and take). Not least the fact that most church goers are in favour of assisted dying; a 2019 poll, for example, found that 84% of the British public, 82% of Christians, and about 80% of religious people overall supported assisted dying for terminally ill, mentally competent adults.1

Far from being modern, the problem of having to endure a painful end to your life has long been recognised in religious circles. The Book of Ecclesiasticus, for example, which is accepted in the Roman Catholic canon and is non-canonical but esteemed for Jewish and Protestant people, even expresses the view that “Death is better than a miserable life, and eternal rest than chronic sickness” (30:17).

More than physical suffering

A key motivation for people who want to die is the desire to avoid pain. It is not just physical suffering that appals them, but a range of other situations: the humiliation (in their eyes) of failing powers; the limitation of their ability to enjoy life; their dependency on other people; the lack of control over their bodily functions; the sense that they have nothing to look forward to, except ever worsening decline; and the unwelcome image of being sedated into a state of narcotic stupor in their final days, or with their bodies sprouting a forest of tubes.

Of course, many people regard such a death as a regrettable part of the natural cycle of life, to be mitigated through medical care if possible and to be endured if not. That is entirely their prerogative and must be respected. But should people who want to avoid pain and indignity in death have the right to do so? And should other people have the right to prevent them making that choice about their own life?

Who chooses when?

A biblical passage that—deliberately or accidentally—may be relevant to the challenge today is the famous line in the Hebrew Bible and Old Testament: “There is a time to be born and a time to die” (Ecclesiastes 3.2). Notably, it does not say who chooses that time. In previous eras, theologians and leaders assumed that both were pre-ordained by God and that any human interference was sinful, but now it can be read differently. The time to die could just as well be our decision.

Some mainstream faith leaders might claim that this is contradicted by the verse from Job: “God gives and God takes” (1:21), and we cannot usurp that prerogative. Yet the God barrier has long been pushed aside both at the beginning and end of life, with humans acting in lieu of God, whether by doctors’ efforts to create life using test tubes or to postpone death through heart transplants.

If the religious ideal is to imitate God’s ways, then it is our duty to use our God given abilities as much as possible. We could argue, therefore, that assisted dying is part of the constant act of playing God in the sense that God wants us to help people in distress: to heal where possible, to comfort when needed, and to help Continue reading

South Australia passes Voluntary Assisted Dying law!

24/06/2021 / Ian Wood

After 25 years and 17 Bills, South Australia has become the fourth Australian state to pass a Voluntary Assisted Dying law! 24th June, 2021.

By working together we have made this happen!

Our grateful thanks go to Kyam Maher MLC for initiating this Bill in memory of his Mother, Viv. What an outstanding memorial!! Thanks also go to Dr Susan Close for her contribution in the House of Assembly. Then more thanks to all involved in the campaign including the VADSA team led by Frances Coombe, together with Anne Bunning, Susie Byrne, and Julia Anaf. Plus Dr Roger Hunt, Jane Qualmann, Angie Miller, Kym Watson, Rev Michael Dowling and Rev Dr Craig de Vos have all been invaluable SA advocates for compassionate end-of- life choice. Apologies to those I have omitted!

At this time we also remember with gratitude those campaigners who have died waiting for the law to be passed. These include our group Co-founder, Rev Trevor Bensch, our former Patron Kym Bonython, Bob Such MP and folk such as Mary Gallnor.

Others outside of SA who have mentored and assisted me to reach this stage include Tanya Battel, Penny Hackett, Shayne Higson, Geoffrey Williams, Adrian Price, Rev Ken Devereux, Mike Gaffney and Norma Jamieson, also Andrew Denton and Kiki Paul of Go Gentle Australia, ……………

Now we shift our focus to Queensland, New South Wales and the 2 Continue reading

A Christian responds to QLD Bishop Timothy Harris and his article against voluntary assisted dying choice

03/06/2021 / Ian Wood

The Townsville Bulletin published a Letter to the Editor from Townsville Catholic Bishop Timothy Harris on 2.6.2021.

I responded with the following letter to editor, which has not been published by the Bulletin.

A Christian response to Catholic Bishop Harris “VAD Laws need rethink”, 2.6.2021

Bishop Harris states: VAD “laws will result in more deaths”. Fact: these patients are already dying – there will not be any more deaths, just less horrific suffering as that life ends.

Fact: While there will always be a place for good palliative care – no amount of money or advancements will ever provide the required level of relief of all suffering.

Harris quotes Paul Keating against VAD Choice! Fact: What on earth are Keating’s qualifications to allow him to pontificate on how other Australians should suffer and die?

Harris states: “society will never be the same again”. I imagine a similar remark was made at the end of the Catholic Inquisition, with the abolition of slavery and when women were allowed to have pain relief during childbirth! Hopefully we can say the same when there are no longer any paedophile priests?

Fact: A significant majority of Australians have stopped, have thought rationally, and decided that a change in our society is needed to allow the option to choose a Voluntary Assisted Death.

Bishop Harris is welcome to maintain his medieval outlook on dying but how dare he try to impose his views on all other Australians, including a majority of Christians.

Ian Wood National Spokesperson for Christians Supporting Choice for VAD Mittagong NSW

Here is the Bishop’s letter that I was responding to …….. Continue reading

Candles for Compassion event, Mt Gambier, SA, Friday 21st May 2021

08/05/2021 / Ian Wood

If you live in the Mount Gambier area of South Australia, please come with a friend and support this event. If you have friends and family living there, encourage them to come and show their support for the choice of Voluntary Assisted Dying.

The encouraging news from South Australia is that on Wednesday 5th May 2021 the Legislative Council voted 14 yes and 7 No to pass the Kyam Maher MLC, Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. It now goes to the Lower House for consideration and Premier Marshall has indicated debate could start there as early as Wednesday 12th May.

Candles for Compassion will go ahead, either to continue to show MPs that legislation for compassionate end-of-life choice is needed, or to say thank you to the MPs who voted to pass the VAD Bill and as a Continue reading

Rev Michael Dowling presentation to South Australian MPs

18/03/2021 / Ian Wood

Please note that the views expressed by Michael Dowling do not reflect the views of the Uniting Church in South Australia, which currently has no policy on Voluntary Assisted Dying.

Our South Australian Representative, Rev Michael Dowling, gave an excellent presentation to members of the SA Parliament on Tuesday 16th March 2021, prior to debate starting on the latest Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill. Dr Roger Hunt and Susie Byrne also spoke in support of VAD representing doctors and nurses, respectively.

Here is Rev Dowling’s presentation, in full, published with permission…….

Thank you for the opportunity to speak to you as the local representative for Christians Supporting Choice for Voluntary Assisted Dying. It’s a privilege to be involved in this important discussion.

I suspect that some of you here today identify with a particular religious tradition, and that some do not. When it comes to the matter at hand – VAD legislation – I wish to address both groups; and I wish to do so in a way that moves beyond religious stereotypes, stereotypes based upon very vocal adherents of a particular viewpoint; stereotypes that propagate the myth of a monolithic “Christian view” on social issues; that, for example, all Christians oppose gay marriage; that all Christians wish to criminalise abortion; and that all Christians oppose voluntary assisted dying (VAD). Such is not the case. Within the Christian faith there is a wide variety of views on these subjects.

In particular reference to VAD…

The group I represent are:

Christians who believe that, as a demonstration of love and compassion, those with a terminal or hopeless illness should have the option of a pain-free, peaceful and dignified death with legal voluntary assisted dying.

According to the 2019 “Vote Compass,” some 3 out of 4 Christians in Australia are in favour of legislation for the choice of VAD.

“But how can that be so?!” I hear some of you say.

“Surely the Christian faith and the Bible have a blanket prohibition against voluntary assisted dying?!”

If you thought this, you would be wrong.

As previously mentioned, “Christianity” is far from monolithic when it comes to social views, including views on VAD.

As for the Bible, it has nothing, nothing whatsoever, to say on the specific subject of voluntary assisted dying.

Christian opponents of VAD, if they use the Bible to support their argument, are forced to rely on generalities and then seek to extrapolate from these generalities to the specific case of VAD. They might quote, for example, the biblical commandment, “Thou shall not murder” and then curiously equate murder with VAD. Christian opponents to VAD might also claim the inviolable “sanctity of life,” stating that human life is so sacred that it can never be deliberately ended, even if the person in unrelievable suffering has requested its end.

These arguments can be rebutted on two grounds.

First:

The movement from a prohibition against murdering someone who doesn’t want to be murdered to a prohibition against ending the suffering of someone who fervently requests for their suffering to be ended, is a logical non-sequitur; it just doesn’t follow.

Second:

If the Christian opponents of VAD assert that “sanctity of life” and “prohibition against killing” are timeless and inviolable Christian injunctions, then they are either wilfully ignorant or just plain disingenuous.

If behaviour is any guide, then over the centuries, Christians have been, not infrequently, quite enthusiastic about killing, and quite indifferent to the sanctity of life. Crusades, religious wars, persecutions, pogroms, torture, and burning at the stake have all been conducted by those who could point to holy Scripture for its justification. In more recent times, many conservative Christians in countries such as the United States, are enthusiastic supporters of the death penalty.

The reason that some Christians can quote the Bible, when it suits them, as justification for killing, is that the Bible itself is quite ambivalent about killing, and quite ambivalent about the supposed sanctity of life. Yes, on the one hand, the Bible contains many admonitions to us to love one another. On the other hand, the Old Testament biblical authors, not infrequently, portray a tribalistic God who orders the wholesale genocide of entire groups of people. For some troubling bed-time reading, try Book of Numbers chapter 31, but only if you have a strong stomach.

The Christian Bible says many things that have inspired and motivated the lives of the most sublime and saintly people.

The Christian Bible has also been used to justify the most appalling and callous behaviour.

When we Christians feel compelled to offer ethical advice to the wider society, in this case ethical advice as to the sanctity of life, we would do well to remember Jesus’ adage, an adage as relevant today as it was 2,000 years ago: we should first cast the log out of our own eye before seeking to remove the speck of sawdust from the eye of another.

But when it comes to the specific case of VAD, the Christian Bible says…precisely nothing.

And so, just like other members of our pluralistic society, Christians need to examine the proposed VAD legislation on its merits and with a willingness to engage Continue reading