This op-ed appeared in the main newspaper in Hobart, Tasmania, when members of Parliament were gearing up for a debate on euthanasia. It was a companion piece to an article in favour of legalisation by Emeritus Professor Colin Wendell-Smith, convenor of Doctors for Dying with Dignity and co-convenor of Doctors for Voluntary Euthanasia. This article was taken from the Continue reading

As reported earlier, following 10 hours of grueling and emotionally-charged debate, the latest euthanasia & assisted suicide bill in Tasmania was defeated 13 votes to 11 in the State's Lower House on the evening of Thursday the 17th of October.  This bill had been foreshadowed for sometime, (going back more than two years) had been the subject of a consultation (of sorts) in March this year and then suddenly introduced on the last day of the winter sitting, providing only two weeks effective notice of the debate. Continue reading

Dr Philip Nitschke, head of Exit International, is in Hobart to coincide with the debate on Premier Giddings and Nick McKim MP's euthanasia and assisted suicide bill. he is also on a national speaking tour promoting his new biography.  Dr Nitschke gave an interview on Continue reading

  At the eleventh hour that has sent all Tasmanian MPs an eleven page letter summarizing their concerns about the Giddings/McKim to be debated this afternoon. Continue reading

Debate begins today in the Tasmanian Parliament on the bill proposed by Premier Lara Giddings MP and her colleague, Nick McKim MP. More than two years in the making, this is a decisive day for all Tasmanians. This morning I received a picture via the twitter feed of a Tasmanian journalist under the heading, "Dying with Dignity members outside State Parliament ahead of today's voluntary euthanasia debate."The picture shows a dozen people holding signs saying 'I'm part of the 80%". This is a reference to a recent survey of Tasmanian's attitudes conducted by Dying with Dignity that says support in the island state is at four-fifths of the population. Continue reading

MEDIA RELEASE  Tasmanian Euthanasia Bill:A recipe for abuse! Continue reading

Doctors Opposed to Euthanasia  is an Australian national of doctors who oppose the introduction of euthanasia & assisted suicide.  Continue reading

A recent report on the pages of the  Melbourne AGE newspaper backs up the concerns expressed by disability group Lives Worth Living to the Tasmanian Parliament over the soon-to-be-debated euthanasia bill. Continue reading

In 2012, at the tenth anniversary of the Dutch euthanasia laws, Eric van Wijlick, policy maker at the Royal Dutch Society of Doctors (KNMG) lamented that, "Euthanasia has become the central point of conversation between a doctor and a patient who is suffering when it should be seen as a "last resort"." The Royal Dutch Society of Doctors supports the law. Continue reading

A recently formed Australian group called 'Lives Worth Living' sent a letter today to all Tasmanian MPs outlining their opposition to the Tasmanian euthanasia & assisted suicide bill.  Note well: The group does not come from a pro-life or religious perspective, which confirms not only that concern about this type of legislation is broad-based, but that the media's characterization of the opposition in Tasmania as being from 'Christian Groups' is unfounded. Continue reading