NewsTalk ZB 21 May 2018
Family First Comment: Not written submissions – but oral submissions. 3,500 requests to do an oral submission 😊
www.protect.org.nz
A deadline for an assisted dying law change has been pushed back again because of a record level of interest.
Public hearings begin today on the End of Life Choice Bill, and so far 35,000 submissions have been received.
Justice Committee chair Raymond Huo said submissions were still being processed, but it was already believed to be a record number.
The last high-profile conscience issue, the legalisation of same-sex marriage in 2012, attracted around 22,000 submissions.
The committee was initially given nine months to hear the submissions, an extension on the usual six months. It has now pushed the deadline back another three months, to March, to cope with the huge workload.
Select committees usually choose which submitters they want to hear from in person, but because of the significance of the legislation the Justice Committee has decided to hear from anyone who wants to make an oral submission.
So far, 3500 people have said they want to appear in person.
That means the eight-person committee will have to split into four sub-committees to hear them all in meetings around the country.
READ MORE: http://www.newstalkzb.co.nz/news/politics/submissions-for-end-of-life-choice-bill-extended-due-to-interest/
