Media Release 13 May 2020
As the country prepares to vote in a referendum on whether to legalise euthanasia / assisted suicide, a new resource presents 20 reasons for New Zealanders to vote NO in the upcoming referendum.
“20 Reasons to Vote NO in 2020” include:
* we already have choice
* abuse will happen
* diagnosis and prognosis can be wrong
* ‘assisting’ suicide may promote suicide
* assisted suicide devalues disabled people
* medical bodies oppose it
and many more.
There is also an analysis of the legislation which would come in to effect if the majority of New Zealanders voted yes.
The information is available as a 4-page pamphlet for free download. DOWNLOAD HERE. This resource will be distributed widely throughout the country.
“This information will help New Zealanders understand what the debate is really about. There were attempts by MPs to correct the name of the bill to ‘Euthanasia and Assisted Suicide Act 2019’, in order to truly reflect what the law change is about, and which would allow the public to understand what practices are made legal by the passing of the Bill. But this was voted down by a majority of MPs. Rather than the referendum question simply being “Do you support euthanasia & assisted suicide?” which is what the real debate is about, they have made the question “Do you support the End of Life Choice Act”,” says Bob McCoskrie, National Director of Family First NZ.
“It completely avoids the terms ‘euthanasia’ & ‘assisted suicide’, and accentuates ‘choice’ – but as is explained in the pamphlet, we already have choice. In fact, the New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) says that euthanasia and assisted suicide are “unethical and harmful to individuals, especially vulnerable people, and society”.”
“Euthanasia and assisted suicide put many of us in danger. Nothing in the proposed law guarantees the protection required for vulnerable people, including the disabled, elderly, depressed or anxious, and those who feel themselves to be a burden or who are under financial pressure. The international evidence backs up these concerns, and explains why so few countries have made any changes to the law around this issue.”
“We will do everything we can to prevent New Zealand from making a euthanasia / assisted suicide mistake.”
ENDS