Short Talk about the End of Life Choice Bill
Margreet was on her way to the hospital when she received a phone call from her mother’s doctor.
He said, “You don't have to hurry, because you will not find your motheralive when you get here.” They put her into a coma she will not wake up from.
Margreet asked, “Why?”
The doctor said, “She waslonely; she was depressed; she didn't wantto go out of her house; and didn’t want to go to a rest home.
Margreet said her mother was NOT depressed and did NOT choose to die. She was euthanised without consent. The doctorsdecided. This is a true story.
In 2015 Dutch doctors ended the lives of 431 patients without their consent. The Netherlands decriminalisedeuthanasia about 15 years ago and it isillegal to end someone's life without consent. But, it still happens. Why is that?
The euthanasia law implies that it'sbetter to be dead than to suffer. So somedoctors think a person is suffering, orthink they may suffer in the future, andthen end the person's life even if theperson did not request it.
What does thathave to do with New Zealand?
Currentlyour Parliament is considering a Billthat is based on the Dutch and Belgianeuthanasia laws. Parliament's JusticeCommittee is asking for your view onthis Bill by 20 February. In the next fewminutes I'll tell you briefly what thisbill is about and how you can have yoursay.
The End of Life Choice Bill is NOTabout turning off life support. It's NOT about ‘do-not-resuscitate’ requests. It's NOT about withdrawing treatment. It's NOT about a person receiving asmuch pain relief as they may need. Whatthis Bill is about is making it legalfor a doctor to intentionally in aperson's lifeusing lethal drugs.
This Bill is not onlyfor terminally ill people. The bill alsoincludes people with irreversiblemedical conditions. These could include disabilities; mentalillness;ageing-related, degenerativeconditions;and long-standing chronicconditions, like arthritis or diabetes.
Soif this Bill would become law, an 18-year-oldcould be diagnosed with such a condition,request a lethal injection that sameappointment, be dead days later, withouttelling anyone about the diagnosis ortheir desire to die. It wouldn't matterwhat else is going on in the person'slife… financial worries… relationshipstress…as long as the person understandsthat they would die they would qualify.
Regardless of the details though, aeuthanasia law would be dangerous to oursociety. It would make death a medicaltreatment. It would make it legal for oneperson to intentionally end the life ofanother person or assist in their suicide. It would make staying alive to receivecare just another option, instead of thenormal thing to do. A person may need tojustify to themselves and to others whythey're still alive if death is thecheaper option.
You may wonder, “But isn'tthis law for suffering people who are ontheir way to a horrible, painful death?”Actually, nowadays in New Zealandeveryone can die with their symptomsmanaged, with pain under control. It's amatter of access: making sure a personhas the care they need when they need it. That's where our focus needs to be. Weknow from the research that when aperson wants assisted suicide oreuthanasia they want it for existentialand emotional reasons, not physical pain.
How to have your say
MPs voted this Bill through to the Select Committee stageso people could have their say. Your voice really matters. If you wrote to committees or MPs before on this issue, none of that counts now. You need to write to this new Committee again. Instead of writing one letter as a couple or family, write different letters as individuals – Numbers count! People can make more than one submission, as long as they are unique and arrive on different days.
It's easy to have your say on this Bill.You can make a basic submission in aslittle as five minutes, and you could get it done right now.
Here’s how to make a quick submission:
On the front of the Submission page, write your name and address. Choose whether you want to speak to the Committee later this year. It involves a 5-minute phone call or meeting in person. If you do this the Committee will pay more attention to your views, but it’s optional.
Turn your page over. On the back of your page, write whether you support or oppose the Bill and give a reason. Include a true story if you have one. There are some ideas on the [n2as.nz website / handouts/brochures] but please use your own words. It’s important that every letter is unique. It’s best not to mention any other bills or controversial issues, for example abortion or same-sex marriage. It’s best to avoid religious words.
Give your sealed envelopes to the helpers so we could mail them together and save postage.
Thanks very much for writing!
[In case anyone asks, references are on the n2as.nz website or available from 0800 42 76 42).