Irish Minister calls for a public forum on assisted suicide and euthanasia bill The Christmas and New Year holidays are an interesting time for politics and politicians. Usually newspaper columns and electronic media are taken over by holiday events and other 'good news' stories. Even when venturing into politics, journalists are most often publishing reflective 'the year that was' stories rounded out with party leaders good wishes to all.It is also a really good time for political parties to release those really uncomfortable and even embarrassing 'mea culpas' on poor performances, errors in judgement, or even minor scandals in the hope that the story is quickly lost with a minimum of embarrassment or discomfort. Continue reading

It was only a matter of time. A month ago, after making a plea bargain to avoid medical tribunal hearings expected to take up to six weeks in Darwin, Philip Nitschke accepted significant restrictions being placed on his licence to practice medicine in return for avoiding a drawn out and very public airing of the 12 complaints lodged against him with the Australian Medical Board.Today he announced that he is surrendering his medical licence so as to continue his work with Exit International unshackled from any restriction. Continue reading

Hot on the heels of HOPE's call for a parliamentary inquiry into Exit International and following closely upon Disability Advocates, Lives Worth Living, joining their voice, Victorian Upper House MP, Rachel Carling-Jenkins has now called upon her Federal colleagues to 'take this on board as a matter of high priority.' In her statement, just released, Rachel Carling-Jenkins MLC welcomes the decision of the medical board to restrict Dr Nitschke's association with Exit and suicide advocacy adding that, 'This is just the tip of the iceberg.''We know vulnerable Australians have been falling victim to the dark world of suicide advocacy, especially through Exit International. This includes young Australians who had their whole lives ahead of them.' Carling-Jenkins said today. Continue reading

Australian Disability Advocacy group Lives Worth Living weighed in on the news, yesterday, concerning the medical board of Australia's decision to severely restrict Dr Nitschke's affilliation with the work of Exit International, by joining the call of an Inquiry. LWL Convener Craig Wallace said today, that, "LWL welcomes the heavy restrictions placed on Dr. Nitschke. They highlight the need to protect all Australians from coercion to commit suicide, especially people with disabilities. Australians with disabilities face a lack of support, including specifically designed suicide prevention programs." "Despite the decision, the threat is not over. There now needs to be a Parliamentary Inquiry into the actions of Exit International. The restrictions placed on Dr. Nitschke raise real questions about the role and work of Exit International in coaching people towards suicide through online forums as evidence in the tragic events reported last year", Mr. Wallace said. Continue reading

Paul Russell, Director of HOPE: preventing euthanasia & assisted suicide welcomes the decision of the Medical Board, AHPRA to severely restrict Philip Nitschke's medical licence in respect to his relationship to the work of Exit International. AHPRA Media Release: Board imposes conditions on Dr Phillip Nitschke, ending legal process"The decision of the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) in response to a number of complaints about the activities of Exit and Philip Nitschke is most welcome." said Mr Russell. Continue reading

Many a comedian will comment, in a serious moment, about their fear of a 'death on the stage'. Though history records the actual death of performers in such circumstances, comedians know it as the moment when a joke or a line 'bombs'; when they lose the audience. The Guardian UK newspaper has been following the story of Philip Nitschke and his foray into comedy at the upcoming Edinburgh Comedy Fringe Festival in Scotland. Journalist, Jenny Kleeman, recently compiled a series of interviews into a short video preview (available on the Guardian website).Much of the background vision for this video story is from a 'workshop' in London where Nitschke is 'road testing' the show in front of an audience of Exit members ahead of its opening later this month. Continue reading

Today (10th November 2014) in Darwin, Northern Territory, hearings began into the suspension of the medical licence to practice of Philip Nitschke, director of Exit International. Earlier, Nitschke had successfully challenged that the hearings should take place in the jurisdiction where he was registered; namely, the Northern Territory. Nitschke's medical practice licence was originally temporarily suspended following the death of Perth man, Nigel Brayley and the revelations contained in the ABC TV report concerning Nitschke's relationship to Brayley prior to his suicide.As the Guardian explained: "The board said at the time it took the interim action to "keep the public safe while other investigations or processes continue". This week's hearing does not relate to those investigations." Continue reading

  The European Co-ordinator for Exit International, Tom Curran told Irish newspapers recently that he is designing a 'right-to-die' bill that he hopes to have introduced into the Irish Parliament by the end of the year.Tom Curran's wife, Marie Fleming, an Irish University lecturer and MS sufferer had earlier applied to the Irish Courts for a judgement that would have meant that Curran would not have been prosecuted had he assisted her to die in Switzerland. Both the High Court challenge and the Supreme Court Appeal failed and Ms Fleming passed away from natural causes in December 2013. Continue reading

  The recent news of the suspension of Philip Nitschke's medical licence pending the medical board of Australia's investigations is good news. But many have asked: why has it taken so long?The trigger issue for the medical board was the suicide death of Perth man, Nigel Brayley. Suicide Prevention group, Beyond Blue and others argued that, in Nitschke's contact with Brayley, he had a duty of care to try and stop Brayley from taking his own life. The medical board response suggests that they agree. Continue reading

Recent reports on most Australian News services concerning the double suicide of two women in Victoria using suicide apparatus purchased from Exit International are swallowing the pro-euthanasia bait dangled in front of them by Dr Nitschke. The same could be said for the news reports of only a month or so ago, also arising out of Victoria, concerning the admission by   that he provided Nembutal that was used by another Victorian man to commit suicide years before. Continue reading