Why is the conscience of Liberal Tasmanian MPs so out of step with the conscience of the Tasmanian electors?
In the ‘conscience’ vote on the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 24.5.2017, there were 13 Liberal votes against the Bill proceeding, and only one vote in support. That is 7% support compared with 80% support by the voters!! It is a travesty of the democratic system, where an MP is surely elected to represent the views of people who vote to elect that MP.
It is not as if the MPs are better informed than the public. I have not checked Hansard yet, but I did listen to much of the contributions MPs made to the debate. Most of the Liberal speakers simply indulged in scaremongering and hand wringing. Three or four seemed to say: “I agree with the concept but I cannot vote for it”. Farcical!
I do not recall that I heard one statement by those opposing that could be supported by evidence!
Judging by what was said, I seriously doubt if some had even read the Bill.
Why is true empathy and compassion for the terminally ill enduring futile unbearable suffering so lacking with these Liberals?
I suppose the one positive point from this debacle is that one young Liberal had the conscience and courage to break away from her colleagues. In the previous conscience vote on a similar Bill in 2013, all 10 Liberals voted against – surely a statistical impossibility for an issue supported by 4 out of 5 people generally.
What a mockery of the so called tenets of the Liberal Party!!! To quote from their website – We Believe: In the inalienable rights and freedoms of all peoples; and we work towards a lean government that minimises interference in our daily lives;………..
It is fascinating to compare this “Liberal conscience” with that of the Quebec Parliament in Canada. Quebec is or was the most Catholic province in Canada, yet In 2014, their Parliament voted 94 votes to 22 to give their adult residents assisted dying choice.
Ian Wood