Radio NZ News 16 August 2018
The wording of proposed euthanasia legislation should be tightened to ensure it only applies to the terminally ill, members of an Australian advisory panel say.
Parliament’s justice select committee is nearing the end of a nationwide tour hearing submissions on the controversial End of Life Choice Bill.
The committee will hear from people at Parliament in Wellington today.
Laywer Julian Gardner and disability advocate Tricia Malowney were members of the Victorian Ministerial Advisory Panel which was convened before the state became the first in Australia to legalise assisted dying for the terminally ill.
Mr Gardner told Nine to Noon the Victorian law has a number of safeguards in the legislation, including that a person has the capacity to make the decision, and has an incurable disease or illness that is likely to cause death within six months, or 12 months for a neurodegenerative condition.
The New Zealand bill needed to be re-worded, he said.
“I think the intention was that it would be [for people with] a terminal condition and I think the bill would be strengthened by just clarifying that point because this is about end of life as the title of the bill suggests.”
READ MORE: https://www.radionz.co.nz/national/programmes/ninetonoon/audio/2018658341/the-path-to-assisted-dying-in-victoria
