Now that's a headline direct from the 'now that I've got your attention' files! I never thought I'd be giving a bouquet to 'doctor death'.  After all, there's nothing that he has said or done in the public eye that I find the least bit agreeable (except, perhaps, the recent picture of his visit with his mother).But Dr. Nitschke has in fact, done us a favour by his grandstanding about setting up a 'killing centre' in Adelaide to take advantage of what he no doubt hopes will be the successful passage of the Key bill through the SA parliament. Continue reading

Debate on Steph Key's Euthanasia bill stifled by the stench of subterfuge in the house. The latest euthanasia attempt in the SA Parliament was introduced by backbencher, Steph Key on the 10th of March.  Styled on Health Minister, John Hill's draft from late 2010, the bill would usher in euthanasia on demand and an open season on patients.  The only protection offered by this latest 'kill bill' is for doctors.  Apparently patients don't rate.Private Member's bills such as this usually move slowly with little time allocated during the sitting week and each speech usually followed by an adjournment for either another MP or the completion of the current speech to be heard on another sitting day.  But all conventions were overridden on Thursday the 24th of March when the bill's main supporters rushed through the second reading stage without any opportunity for a dissenting voice to be heard. Continue reading

March 2011 Update and Action Request: As reported earlier, Member for Ashford, Steph Key tabled a new euthanasia bill on the 10th of March.  This effectively replaces her earlier bill that was a duplicate of the Parnell Bill defeated last year in the Upper House.The  Continue reading

I recently spent four days visiting supporters, local leaders and friendly politicians in Tasmania to discuss the upcoming euthanasia legislation and to encourage people to get active and organised. Whilst I was in the beautiful city of Hobart, Premier Lara Giddings announced that euthanasia legislation would be held off until late in the year.  She also suggested that, at that time, a consultation might precede the bill.This is surely good news for a state facing significant other hurdles not the least of which is how to manage their significant budget deficit.  Playing around with social agenda in such circumstances could be seen as 'fiddling while Rome burns' as they say. Continue reading

What a fascinating 24 hours in Federal politics! As suggested in yesterday's post, Bob Brown's  has been referred to the Senate's Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee with a report date of the 21st of March. Continue reading

Gillard bows to Greens same sex and euthanasia agenda Prime Minister Gillard's latest accommodation of Bob Brown and the Green's agenda tells us a great deal about Federal Labor's fragile hold on power.  The ever-present Damoclesian sword wielded by Green, Adam Bandt in the House of Reps clearly has the Prime Minister off her cornflakes.Why else would she back Brown's new bill to reduce the Commonwealth's powers of veto over the ACT?  This is especially so when, on the substantive issues of euthanasia and same sex marriage that lurk behind this move, she has made her opposition known. Continue reading

In 1998, the Community Development Committee of the Tasmanian Parliament reported on its deliberations about euthanasia in a report entitled:  .The Need for Legislation on Voluntary Euthanasia Continue reading

 the precept that an action should not be taken if the consequences are uncertain and potentially dangerous  precautionary principle â�� n: Continue reading

Multi-millionaire, David Walsh's assault on the senses in his new Art Museum on the banks of the Derwent river, Hobart, would seem to be an attempt to offend almost everyone. From rotting animal carcasses to the remains of a suicide bomber made from Belgian chocolate and an 'excrement machine' that mimics the human body's waste evacuation system, there would seem to be something here to shock everyone.Hardly surprising then that Walsh should claim that 'understanding' of the 'artworks' increases as a person's alcohol level increases!  Mmmm.  Replace 'understanding' with 'desensitizing' and maybe we're getting closer to the truth. Continue reading

 A recent article in   newspaper reported on a new Australia Institute survey claiming that something like 75% of Australians support euthanasia.  If we compare that to recent, long running polls claiming upward of 85% support, then there might be some cause for celebration!  Perhaps not.The Age Continue reading