NewsHub 12 July 2020
Family First Comment: There are so many crucial points made in this piece that it’s difficult to know which bit to highlight. So take the time to read it all!
As Rhona Winnington – a registered nurse, sociologist and lecturer at the Auckland University of Technology (AUT) – concludes:
“We need to safeguard our families and communities from these social consequences of assisted dying legislation. Vulnerable populations have to remain safe from persuasion to die and there has to be a supportive framework for those left behind after an assisted death, so they can grieve without feeling stigmatised.”

When New Zealanders go to the polls in September, they will also be asked to vote in a referendum on assisted dying.

Parliament already passed the End of Life Choice Act in 2019, but the referendum will decide whether it comes into force.

We will be asked if we accept or decline the right of people to seek an assisted death, without the need for consultation with family and with no stand-down period other than a requirement of 48 hours to prepare the medication. The act would allow people to choose when they die and by what means, whether the medication is self-administered or given by suitably qualified clinicians.

This appears an ideal scenario, affirming the right to choose, but it is a deeply profound decision for the public to make. Many may be unaware of issues beyond the goal of ending suffering for people with life-limiting conditions.

My research shows an assisted death can have repercussions for many people – those left behind or others struggling with a chronic disease. Experiences from countries where assisted dying has been legal for some time have highlighted these challenges.

Social consequences of assisted dying

In the Netherlands, assisted dying has been legal for 18 years. Over time, there have been notable slips in the criteria that have to be met. This includes the level of physical suffering, which is a subjective experience, and the requirement that people must be competent to agree to an assisted death at the point of administration. This may not be possible for people with dementia who have previously given written consent but can no longer consent at the point of death.

While the law hasn’t changed, its interpretation has, and people with mental illness can now also request an assisted death. Data from the Netherlands show one in 30 people now die by euthanasia, compared to one in 90 when the law was introduced in 2002.

In the US, some medical insurance companies pay for an assisted death but not for palliative care. This removes any notion of choice and autonomy from the person.

In Canada, where assisted dying has been legal for four years, the number of people seeking medical help to die has risen significantly, with figures more than doubling year on year. This has exposed unexpected consequences, such as fear of judgement for leaving family members unsupported after an assisted death and stigmatisation of clinicians, whether or not they support people choosing the time of their death.
READ MORE: https://www.newshub.co.nz/home/politics/2020/07/euthanasia-referendum-why-new-zealand-s-law-lacks-necessary-detail-to-make-a-fully-informed-decision.html

NewsRoom 10 July 2020
Family First Comment: An important commentary….
“I read headlines stating the majority of public (63%) support legalising euthanasia, according to the poll. To the untrained eye, that looks like some strong evidence that the End of Life Choice Act (EOLC Act) is a done deal. But to me it just smacks of the same shallow approach to this vote that many are tempted into making. Hold that poll up against other polls that show 74% of Kiwis don’t know we can already turn off life support, 70% incorrectly think the EOLC Act will legalise the choice not to be resuscitated (which is already legal), and 75% thought it would only be available when all other treatments have been tried… so I wonder what information we are basing our poll voting on?

Most Kiwis aren’t aware that the end of life choice act is not a concept they’ll be voting for, but specific, unmovable legislation. And if we make a mistake, death is a heavy penalty, writes Caralise Trayes. 

A new Colmar Brunton poll revealed last weekend doesn’t do any favours in helping people recognise the binding referendum question they will actually be asked at this year’s election. It only reinforces the point that Kiwis aren’t being equipped to make an informed vote.

I read headlines stating the majority of public (63 percent) support legalising euthanasia, according to the poll. To the untrained eye, that looks like some strong evidence that the End of Life Choice Act (EOLC Act) is a done deal. But to me it just smacks of the same shallow approach to this vote that many are tempted into making.

Hold that poll up against other polls that show 74 percent of Kiwis don’t know we can already turn off life support, 70 percent incorrectly think the EOLC Act will legalise the choice not to be resuscitated (which is already legal), and 75 percent thought it would only be available when all other treatments have been tried… so I wonder what information we are basing our poll voting on?

Us Kiwis need to know we will in fact be voting on a very specific piece of legislation; not the concept of euthanasia. If we vote ‘yes’ in the binding referendum, the law is passed and active. No changes or adjustments can be made to this Act. So we should be examining the piece of law in front of us. However hard it is, we must put aside our view on the topic of assisted dying, and check this is the right law for the job.

We need to carefully assess and analyse this law to ensure it allows the autonomy to choose – something that many of us seek, while protecting those who shouldn’t have access, for one reason or another. And there’s no space for error – if we get it wrong, death is a big penalty.
READ MORE: https://www.newsroom.co.nz/no-room-for-error-on-assisted-dying

Radio NZ News 28 June 2020
Family First Comment: This new book is worth checking out…
“[This bill] is intended for very few, the extreme cases probably. I assumed that the people we would be offering this to would be in extreme pain. But internationally, where assisted suicide is legal the motivational reasons for people using this isn’t actually pain. In Oregon, 2019 research shows that the primary motivational factor for people choosing this: 90 percent of people use this because their life is no longer enjoyable, 59 percent are saying they’re worried about being a burden on other people, and only 33 percent are actually in pain, or they’re afraid of the pain.”

The End of Life Choice Act will be put to the vote in a referendum alongside the national election, and has already been a hot subject of debate as it made its way through parliament.

The difficult topic has been explored in a book by journalist Caralise Trayes: The Final Choice, which includes interviews with medical and legal experts, religious leaders, ethicists, and experts on the practice of voluntary euthanasia in other countries.

Trayes’ interest in the debate was pricked when she took a freelance job focused on a meeting where assisted dying was discussed.

“I came away thinking I know very little about this, but what I do know is I’m going to have to vote on this binding referendum and make a really difficult choice. We all come into this discussion and decision with our own personal experiences, what we’ve seen and how other people have died – and that’s a really hard thing to look through.

“So I did some research and the further I got into the issue the more I realised how intricate it is and how many levels there are to it. I came away with questions … and there’s so much misinformation and so much emotion out there, I think it’s hard to find good information to make sure you can make a good choice – it’s really to equip people to make good choices.”

Trays says she can’t call which direction the referendum will fall in September.

“I know that right now, somewhere between 58 and 74 percent of Kiwis sit very on the side of voting for it, but what I’ve also seen is that same proportion of people don’t know much about this.

“Seventy-four percent of people think that this assisted dying law will mean they can turn off life support – that’s already legal. We need to get equipped and educated to make a really informed decision – this is a big decision, this is life and death. It’s worthy of that time and commitment.”
READ MORE: https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/sunday/audio/2018752582/new-book-examines-assisted-dying-ahead-of-2020-referendum

Stuff co.nz 17 June 2020
Family First Comment: Significant concern for groups like Hospice NZ…
“The judge said hospices and other organisations could refuse to provide assisted dying services. But there also had to be a way for health practitioners to meet their obligations if asked by someone in the care of the hospice or organisation. It was not for the court to suggest ways those two positions could work together, the judge said. 
One of the questions was whether Crown funding for hospices could be declined if they were not offering assisted dying because of conscientious objection. The judge said questions about funding would have to await a case where the funding process was in issue.” 
And Hospice will pay the cost! Lose lose.

A judge says it’s too early to clarify how conscientious objection rights for assisted dying might work in hospices.

Hospice New Zealand, an umbrella organisation for all hospice services, wanted answers about how conscientious objection would operate if the End of Life Choice Act was accepted in the referendum in September.

It hoped the answers would help inform debate on the referendum, and it wanted voters to be clear what they were being asked to decide.

Hospice NZ was opposed to euthanasia or assisted suicide and a cornerstone of its care was to neither hasten nor postpone death.

It took a case to the High Court in Wellington asking for declarations on the legal position but Justice Jill Mallon said in general the questions could not be decided until the issues arose against particular facts.

A referendum on whether to put into force the End of Life Choice Act is to be run alongside the general election, and if the vote was “yes” the act would take effect a year after the result was declared.
READ MORE: https://www.stuff.co.nz/national/health/121860950/assisted-dying-conscientious-objection-questions-too-early–court

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TVNZ One News 15 June 2020
Family First Comment: Legalising euthanasia would simply exacerbate the potential threat to vulnerable people..
“most cases are psychological, with elderly socially isolated, bullied and humiliated…. the majority of abuse comes from family members”

Up to 10 per cent of people aged 65 and over experience some form of abuse in New Zealand.

Ki he kau poupou, kaunga maheni mo e kainga Tonga kotoa pe:
Malo e lelei! Koe’uhi ko e teuteu fakaha loto mahu’inga (referendum) ‘a e fonua ‘i Sepitema ‘o e ta’u ni fekau’aki mo e maliuana mo e ‘iufanesia, kuo mau teuteu’i ai ‘a e ngaahi tohi fakamatala mahino mo lelei ma’a hotau ngaahi famili, maheni mo e siasi fekau’aki mo e ongo kaveinga ni. Pea ‘oku ta’etotongi fokii!! ‘Oku ma’u atu ‘eni ‘i he WWW.REJECTASSISTEDSUICIDE.ORG.NZ/translations/ ke mou lau mo vahevahe atu!
“‘Uhinga ‘e 20 ke tali NO ki he ‘iufanesia”
Fakapapau’i ‘oku ke mahino’i ‘a e ongo kaveinga pea ke toki fili!
‘Ofa atu,

To our Tongan supporters and friends:
Malo e lelei. In preparation for the upcoming referendum on euthanasia, we’ve prepared the perfect resource for your families, friends and church groups.
And they’re free! Download them today – and share.
“20 Reasons to Vote No to Euthanasia”.

E fa’atalofa atu i le tatou aiga Samoa potopoto.
A’o loma palota fa’alaua’itele o le Fa’aumafilēmuina (Euthansia) ua matou tapena ai ni tusitusiga e fa’amatala ma fa’amalamalama ia matāupu mo lou aiga, uō ma ē masani, fa’apea fo’i ma Fatafaitaulaga ‘ese’ese o le tatou nu’u.
O nei tusitusiga e lua, e leai se totogi mana’omia. E maua lau kopi i le ‘upega tafa’ilagi’ ua tusia i lalo.
Tusi:
20 filifiliga e tatau ai ona e palota “LEAI’ i le Fa’aumafilēmuina!
Maua lau kopi mai le: WWW.REJECTASSISTEDSUICIDE.ORG.NZ/translations/ 

To our Samoan supporters and friends:
Talofa. In preparation for the upcoming referendum on euthanasia, we’ve prepared the perfect resource for your families, friends and church groups.
And they’re free! Download them today – and share.
“20 Reasons to Vote No to Euthanasia”.