An important question arises for WA parliamentarians considering the advice of the ministerial panel into assisted suicide: How confident can they be that any proposed legislation will guard against wrongful deaths of Western Australians going forward, given that the majority report failed to examine any wrongful deaths under assisted suicide regimes in place in overseas jurisdictions? Continue reading

The majority of people are concerned some people will be pressured into accepting euthanasia or assisted suicide so they wouldn’t be a burden on others, a new poll has found. Continue reading

The dangers of legalising euthanasia and assisted suicide were made obvious in Queensland this week, as the issues paper for its inquiry into aged care, end-of-life and palliative care and voluntary assisted dying was tabled in parliament. Continue reading

In 2014, the Royal College of Physicians (RCP) asked its members: “do you support a change in the law to permit assisted suicide by the terminally ill with the assistance of doctors?”  57.5 per cent of the membership voted ‘no.’  Continue reading

The barrister charged with the task of advising the WA government about assisted suicide legislation has described it as a ‘minefield’. Former WA governor Malcolm McCusker has said that ‘grappling with the big questions will likely keep him awake at night,” as he considers issues such as whether the scheme should include dementia patients, safeguards against coercion and the right of doctors and health care providers to conscientiously object.   Continue reading

Disappointingly, despite its year-long inquiry into end of life choices in Western Australia, the Joint Select Committee on End of Life Choices was unable to ascertain basic facts about palliative care in the state.  Continue reading

Catholic hospitals in Canada have found themselves in the middle of a religious freedom battle, with euthanasia advocates claiming that hospitals who accept any government funding should be forced to participate in the country’s euthanasia regime. Continue reading

“If the law goes in Quebec, it’s gone across the entire country.”  - Jocelyn Downie Continue reading

In 2011, 63-year old Godelieva De Troyer asked her doctor of over 20 years to agree to her request for euthanasia.  Her doctor declined, because De Troyer was not suffering from a terminal illness; she was suffering from depression. Continue reading

Last year, we told you the story of Kristen Hanson and her husband, J.J., who died from cancer in December 2017. Continue reading