Euthenasia !

The right to legally allow those suffering a painful terminal disease to be assisted in ending their lives has had a rocky road trip in Australia.   The first Australian jurisdiction to make that legal was the Northern Territory, in 1996 but this was quickly struck down by the Federal government.  The rights afforded to the states do not apply to both the Northern Territory and the ACT and Canberra can override territory law.

Both Victoria and New South Wales introduced bills that would make terminally assisted death legal in their state.  The Victorian bill passed and it is now a reality in that state.  In New South Wales the progression failed - by just one vote.   We have the absurdity that what is legal in one part of Australia is totally illegal to the rest of the country's citizens.

Now a new attempt is happening on the Federal scene.  Liberal Democrat Senator David Leyonhjelm is introducing a private members bill in the Senate where it will be debated this week.  He is confident that he has the numbers and the bill will pass in the upper house, but to become law it must also gain approval in the lower House of Representatives.

This is far from certain. Senator Leyonhjelm claims that he has an agreement with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull to allow a free conscience vote in both houses of parliament on his euthanasia bill  in a " deal " in which his vote enabled the passage of government legislation in the Senate.  The Prime Minister is under pressure from conservatives within the Coalition and may renege on bringing this legislation to a vote.

The " right to die with dignity " is fast becoming a normal legality in many parts of the world. The alternative offered here is death in a " hospice " in which pain is managed by the use of drugs, often resulting in hastening the end of life.  Even this is bordering on the edge of illegality.

Perhaps the most common wish of the average person is for a " painless death ".  We are aware that when that word " Cancer "  is included in a doctor's prognosis the end may be very painful and it would be a great relief if legislation placed ending that coming pain in our own hands.  Surely that is a decision to be made within each individual's conscience.

It is quite clear where public opinion is heading.   The only opposition comes from some of the churches but few believe that a caring and loving God would be so vengeful as to wish us to die in agony.  There is a certain inevitability in death with dignity becoming legal.  The only remaining question is why it is taking so long !