Otago Daily Times 12 December 2017
Family First Comment: “Seymour’s event at Parliament was disrupted by Dr Russell Franklin, a former paediatrician and GP, who is opposed to the move. Franklin confronted Dr Havill as MPs spoke to gathered media, saying it was “going back to the era of Nazi Germany” and went against the ethics of the medical profession.”
The first vote in Parliament on a bill to legalise voluntary euthanasia is near but National MP Maggie Barry’s description of it as a “licence to kill’ and a disruption at Act leader David Seymour’s campaign launch in support of the bill showed how heated the issue will be.
Seymour, whose bill was drawn from the ballot last term, launched the campaign at Parliament today alongside MPs from other parties, End of Life Choice’s Dr Jack Havill and Matt Vickers, the husband of the late Lecretia Seales.
Seales unsuccessfully took the issue to the High Court after she was diagnosed with a non-operable brain tumour and died in 2015 soon after the High Court ruled it could not grant her wish and said it was up to Parliament to change the law.
The first reading of the End of Life Choice Bill could be held tomorrow night or early next year, and MPs will have a conscience vote on it.
Family First has said it will campaign strongly against the bill.
Seymour’s event at Parliament was disrupted by Dr Russell Franklin, a former paediatrician and GP, who is opposed to the move.
Franklin confronted Dr Havill as MPs spoke to gathered media, saying it was “going back to the era of Nazi Germany” and went against the ethics of the medical profession.
READ MORE: https://www.odt.co.nz/news/national/heated-words-euthanasia-vote-nears
