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NEWS

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(Cairns... Far North Queensland)

 

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Sincerely

Selwyn Johnston

Editor

 

One person, with the support of the community, can make a difference

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MY RIGHT TO DIE... MY CHOICE!

VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA.

       

INDEX

 

Voluntary Euthanasia - Terminology

Voluntary Euthanasia - The Answer

Exit International - Philip Nitschke PhD, MBBS, BSc (Hons)

Go Gentle Australia

'The Damage Done' - National Press Club of Australia: Andrew Denton (transcript: August 12, 2016) 

Euthanasia Laws Act 1997

Canberra - Dying with Dignity ACT Inc.

New South Wales - Dying with Dignity NSW (DWD NSW) 

Northern Territory - Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Society (NTVES)

Queensland - Dying With Dignity Queensland Inc. - (DWDQ)

     
South Australia - South Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society (SAVES)

Tasmania - Dying with Dignity Tasmania

Victoria - Dying With Dignity Victoria

West Australia - Western Australian Voluntary Euthanasia Society (Inc). - WAVES

World Federation of the Right-to-Die Societies 

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Voluntary Euthanasia - Terminology

Terminology is important to define the terms related to Voluntary Euthanasia as follows...  

“Euthanasia” means the intentional termination of the life of a person, by another person, in order to relieve the first person’s suffering.  According to the Shorter Oxford English Dictionary, it is derived from the Greek 'eu', meaning good, and 'thanatos' meaning death, and so means “a quiet and easy death”.  

“Euthanasia” means the intentional termination of the life of a patient by a physician, or someone acting under the direction of a physician, at the patient’s request, for compassionate reasons.  

Euthanasia can be voluntary, non-voluntary or involuntary.  

Ø  “Voluntary Euthanasia” means euthanasia performed in accordance with the wishes of a competent individual, whether those wishes have been made known personally or by a valid, written advance directive.  

Ø  “Non-voluntary euthanasia” means euthanasia performed without knowledge of the wishes expressed by a competent person or through a valid Advance Health Directive (AHD).  

Ø  “Involuntary euthanasia” means euthanasia performed against the wishes expressed by a competent person or through a valid advance directive.  

“Assisted suicide” means the act of intentionally killing oneself with the assistance of another person who provides the knowledge, means or both.  “Physician-assisted suicide” means the act of intentionally killing oneself with the assistance of a medical practitioner, or person acting under the direction of a medical practitioner, who provides the knowledge, means, or both.  

“Assisted dying” and “assisted death” are generic terms used to describe both assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia.  “Physician-assisted death” and “physician-assisted dying” are likewise generic terms that encompass physician-assisted suicide and voluntary euthanasia that is performed by a medical practitioner or a person acting under the direction of a medical practitioner.  Other medical practices that physicians employ at the end of a patient’s life do not fall within the terms “assisted death” or “assisted dying”.  

“Withdrawal of potentially life-sustaining treatment” means ceasing treatment that has the potential to sustain a person’s life.  “Withholding potentially life-sustaining treatment” means intentionally refraining from commencing treatment that has the potential to sustain a person’s life.  

“Palliative care” means care provided to people of all ages who have a life-limiting illness, with little or no prospect of cure, and for whom the primary treatment goal is quality of life. The treatment is aimed at alleviating suffering – physical, emotional, psychological, or spiritual – rather than curing.  It aims neither to hasten nor to postpone death, but affirms life and regards dying as a normal process.  It recognizes the special needs of patients and families at the end of life, and offers a support system to help them cope.  

“Palliative sedation” means the intentional administration of sedative medication to reduce a patient’s level of consciousness, with the intent to alleviate suffering at the end of life.  It includes both intermittent and continuous sedation, as well as both superficial and deep sedation.  It may be accompanied by the withdrawal of artificial hydration and nutrition.  The phrase “terminal sedation” is occasionally used synonymously with palliative sedation.  

Terms related to consent and capacity are also central to any discussion of assisted dying.  In the health law context, “informed consent” means an intelligent choice as to treatment options made after the patient has been provided with sufficient information to evaluate the risks and benefits of the proposed treatment and other available options.   

“Competence” and “capacity” mean the ability to understand the subject-matter in respect of which a decision must be made, and the ability to appreciate the consequences of that decision.  When a patient is competent, he or she is said to have “testamentary capacity”, which means the ability to make a subjective treatment decision based on an understanding of the medical facts provided by the doctor and on an assessment of one’s own personal circumstances.

 

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Voluntary Euthanasia - The Answer

Research has shown that a majority of the people of Australia are in favour of Voluntary Euthanasia with due safeguards. The legislation enacted in the Northern Territory and the procedures devised by Dr Philip Nitschke gave terminally ill people the opportunity to choose between a slow, and in most cases an agonising death, as against a dignified end at a time of their choice.

There have been numerous surveys and public option polls conducted throughout Australia, which have resulted in an overwhelmingly 78% of Australian's being in favour of Voluntary Euthanasia. 

The Federal Government as two choices, repeal the Andrews Bill or initiate a national referendum to coincide with a federal election, and have a majority decision made at the ballet box by the Australian People.

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How Queensland Senators Voted

In the Federal Senate on Monday March 24th 1997, Queensland party politicians, elected to represent the Queensland people, voted on a private member's Bill to overturn the Northern Territory law by 38 to 34. The results of the Queensland Senate representatives is as follows:

Voted AGAINST and subsequently overturned the Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation:

LIBERAL PARTY

Brian Gibson

John Herron

Warwick Parer

LABOR PARTY

John Hogg

NATIONAL PARTY

Ron Boswell

Bill O'Chee

DEMOCRATS

John Woodley

INDEPENDENT (was LABOR PARTY)

Mal Colston

Those who voted in FAVOUR of the Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation.

LIBERAL PARTY

 Ian Macdonald

LABOR PARTY

 Brenda Gibbs

  Margaret Reynolds

DEMOCRATS (then LABOR PARTY, now gone)

 Cheryl Kernot

As a result of the Northern Territory Voluntary Euthanasia Legislation being overturned, the expressed WILL OF THE PEOPLE was not observed by these party politicians. Any elected representative of the Australian people who ignores the wishes of a majority of his/her constituents, regardless of his/her personal opinion, MUST be considered unacceptable for public office.


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Written and Authorised by Selwyn Johnston, Cairns FNQ 4870