The " Right " to Die !

The one thing certain about life - is death !  Sooner or later every person on this planet will reach the end of their life span and die.   The only unknown is whether that will be mercifully peaceful or whether fate has decreed us an unpleasant end.

Legally, the decision to end our own life rests in our own hands.  Suicide is not a crime.  It was - a century ago - and those that botched a suicide attempt and lived were often put before a magistrate and punished.  Some of the churches still insist on their form of punishment by not permitting priests to perform burial rights or allow burial in consecrated ground.

Unfortunately, those desperate to end their lives sometimes unintentionally also deliver death to others.  Deliberately crashing a car at high speed or jumping from a high building can have unintended consequences.   We are very careful to put barriers in place to stop people from accessing the drugs that would allow life to end swiftly and painlessly.  The law also punishes anyone who assists a person to end their own life.

Our biggest fear is death from any one of a number of diseases that inflict agonising pain on the sufferer - and of those Cancer delivers the most fear.  Those who have witnessed a family member or other loved one suffer such a fate usually are supporters of euthanasia.

We have already taken one tentative step in that direction. A small number of Palliative care clinics provide comfort for those reaching the end of their life and the degree of pain medication given may shorten the life of the sufferer.  This is at the discretion of the caring people who staff these institutions - and the authorities ignore any conflict with the law.

Palliative care is usually concentrated in the cities and is beyond the reach of most people.  The end for many cancer sufferers comes in a public hospital bed where explicit rules and regulations limit how much pain relief can be applied.   We are well aware that humane minded nurses and doctors put themselves at personal risk trying to relieve this agony.

Several attempts to legislate euthanasia have been overturned by the Federal parliament.  Such legislation is a state right and once again there is debate in New South Wales as to whether such a bill should be put to a vote.   Sadly, both the state premier and the leader of the opposition have publicly stated their intention to vote against this bill if it ever reaches the floor of the lower house.   The intentions of political leaders will obviously influence the vote of their party members who hope for later ministerial selection.

Once again the law of inertia will apply.   It is likely that this bill will be introduced into the New South Wales parliament in the second half of 2017 at which point MP's from all major parties will be granted a conscience vote.   You can be sure that the churches will launch a media campaign to try and prevent euthanasia becoming law.

Polls consistently reveal that public opinion is solidly behind the right for people to be able to die with dignity and that the termination of life should be a matter between that person and their doctor. The politicians seem determined to keep such a vote in their own hands and there have been no moves to take it to a referendum.   We seem to be out of step with many other parts of the world !