COMMENTARY on KILLING ME SOFTLY- Should Euthanasia Be Legalised?

Source: Family First,  Released 12 May 2014

Voluntary euthanasia (VE) is the act of intentionally and directly causing the death of a patient, at the request of the patient, with the intention of relieving intractable suffering. It is illegal, as is physician-assisted suicide (PAS). The administration of drugs with the intention to relieve pain, but with the effect of shortening the life of the patient (the “double effect” principle), is lawful. Withdrawal of life-preserving medical treatment is also lawful where the ongoing treatment is, according to the best medical opinion, futile and burdensome. Neither of these situations constitutes euthanasia.

One of either VE or PAS has been legalised in only a small handful of nations: the Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg and Switzerland, as well as four US states – Oregon, Washington, Montana and Vermont. New Zealand has had two unsuccessful attempts to introduce VE and the third and most recent one, the End of Life Choice Bill sponsored by Labour MP Maryan Street, was withdrawn from the private member’s bill ballot in 2013. It is almost certain to resurface after the 2014 General Election.

The potential for abuse and flouting of procedural safeguards is a strong argument against legalisation. A very small percentage of all deaths in the Netherlands and Belgium were cases of euthanasia implemented without the patient’s request (i.e., involuntary euthanasia). But as a percentage of terminated deaths, through euthanasia or assisted suicide, the figure is more alarming. A recent study found that 32 percent of all physicianassisted deaths in the Flemish region of Belgium in 2007 were done without an explicit request from the patient (Chambaere: 2010). The requirement to report euthanasia has not been fully complied with in those nations either.

More on this Euthanasia report

Euthanasia Definitions

Source: from euthanasia.com/definitions.html

• Euthanasia: the intentional killing by act or omission of a dependent human being for his or her alleged benefit. (The key word here is “intentional”. If death is not intended, it is not an act of euthanasia)

• Voluntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed has requested to be killed.

• Non-voluntary: When the person who is killed made no request and gave no consent.

• Involuntary euthanasia: When the person who is killed made an expressed wish to the contrary.

• Assisted suicide: Someone provides an individual with the information, guidance, and means to take his or her own life with the intention that they will be used for this purpose. When it is a doctor who helps another person to kill themselves it is called “physician assisted suicide.”

• Euthanasia By Action: Intentionally causing a person’s death by performing an action such as by giving a lethal injection.

• Euthanasia By Omission: Intentionally causing death by not providing necessary and ordinary (usual and customary) care or food and water.

What Euthanasia is NOT: There is no euthanasia unless the death is intentionally caused by what was done or not done. Thus, some medical actions that are often labeled “passive euthanasia” are no form of euthanasia, since the intention to take life is lacking. These acts include not commencing treatment that would not provide a benefit to the patient, withdrawing treatment that has been shown to be ineffective, too burdensome or is unwanted, and the giving of high doses of pain-killers that may endanger life, when they have been shown to be necessary. All those are part of good medical practice, endorsed by law, when they are properly carried out.

View these Centre Right NZ Political Party Policies and voting position on EUTHANASIA.

Note: Policies subject to change. Please check the Policy Links for the latest Policy if available. These are the voting positions of party leaders for the 2014 General Election as reported to Family First who asked the questions below. Please refer to the linked website ‘Value Your Vote 2014‘ for more information and updates.

PARTY	VOTING POSITION/ POLICY	Policy link
Questions asked for the 2014 election	Decriminalise euthanasia Will you SUPPORT or OPPOSE any bill to decriminalise euthanasia? Full resourcing of palliative care Do you SUPPORT increased public health resources for palliative care so as to improve quality of access and provide equitable standards of care for all New Zealanders? GREEN answers support the Conservative position.
	Jamie Whyte SUPPORTS Euthanasia, UNDECIDED on Palliative Care	Policy link
	Peter Dunne OPPOSES Euthanasia, SUPPORTS Palliative Care	Policy link
	Winston Peters UNDECIDED on Euthanasia, SUPPORTS Palliative Care	Policy link
	John Key PARTIAL SUPPORT for Euthanasia, SUPPORTS Palliative Care	Policy link
	Colin Craig OPPOSED to Euthanasia, SUPPORTS Palliative Care	Policy link

FAMILY FIRST POLICY REQUEST (Family First is not a political party) ⇒ Oppose euthanasia – increase resourcing of hospices and palliative care

REQUESTED POLICY LINK

FAMILY FIRST https://www.familyfirst.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: Sex Ed in Schools, Mindfulness in Schools, Wicked Campers, Paid Parental Leave, Easter Trading, Into the River, Pedophile Register, Income Slitting, Street Prostitution, Child Care Debate, Billboards, City Pokie Deal, Gambling Harm, Bail Laws, Auckland Brothel, Child Support, Alcohol Law Reform, Outrageous Fortune, Anti-smacking, HPV Vaccine, RU486, Child Abuse, Child Poverty, Smacking Law, Gender, Screen Time, Euthanasia, R18 Sex Ed, Day Care, Youth & Alcohol, Value of Family, Why Marriage Matters, Family Issue Polls, Anti-smacking Polls, Family Meals, Smacking Cases,
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About this organisation Family First is NOT a political party and has no intention to be one. Their role is to be a voice for families in the public domain, and to research and advocate for family and marriage issues.Family First has released its ‘Principles on Family’ – 11 principles highlighting the meaning and significance of the term ‘family’. While there are many forms of family in today’s society, these principles hold true as to what we need to encourage and protect.It has been adapted from “The Natural Family: A Manifesto” developed by the World Congress of Families. The World Congress of Families has been held since 1997 in Prague, Geneva and Mexico City, and was held in Poland (May 07). Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.
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THE LIFE RESOURCES CHARITABLE TRUST www.life.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: SUICIDE, ABORTION, EUTHANASIA, BIOETHICS
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About this organisation This organisation website is the result of several years planning and of course many, many hours of work by a small group of people. They intend to continue to develop the website still further, as the New Zealand public continue to provide them with feedback – suggestions, constructive criticism and the financial support necessary to progress to the next stage. The website is unique. As far as they can tell, it is the first website in the world built as a true portal website relating to life issues, rather than what is called a “single dimension” website. This website aims to present all aspects of an issue, openly, honestly, without passing judgement and as best as possible without the usual bias caused by political, ideological, religious or financial interests. It is unusual to find such a website on the Internet, even more so when a subject matter is so contentious! Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

PRO LIFE NZ https://www.prolife.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: ABORTION, EUTHANASIA
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PROLIFE NZ IS NEW ZEALAND’S STUDENT-BASED PRO-LIFE ORGANISATION. We are a movement of young people committed to building a culture of life in New Zealand. We have groups based on university campuses throughout New Zealand and also run a number of other activities focused on building our movement and challenging the status quo on abortion in New Zealand. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

RIGHT TO LIFE NZ https://www.righttolife.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: ABORTION, EUTHANASIA, RELIGIOUS FREEDOM, THE CULTURE, HOMOSEXUAL AGENDA
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Right to Life Inc. is an incorporated society. We are a Pro-Life organisation based in Christchurch New Zealand with members New Zealand wide. We are a secular organisation although most of our member are people of faith. Our objective is to protect the weak and vulnerable in our society, life who cannot defend themselves, from forces which do not recognise the sanctity of human life from conception until natural death.  We seek to return our country to sanity with respect to the way we treat the vulnerable.  Part of this process is working to ensure that our laws relating to the legal recognition of our unborn children’s right to life are being administered as intended. Unborn children are endowed by their Creator with an unalienable right to life. It is only relatively recently that our society, driven by a permissive worldview has rejected the right to life of our unborn child, in favour of personal autonomy. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

VOICE FOR LIFE https://www.voiceforlife.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: ABORTION, EUTHANASIA, BIOETHICS
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Voice for Life is a New Zealand organisation, building a culture of life where human life is valued from the moment of conception to natural death. We’re New Zealand’s largest and oldest voluntary prolife organisation – with branches all over the country. For more than 40 years, our members have been committed to peaceful advocacy on behalf of the most vulnerable and voiceless members of our communities. We promote sensible, researched-based solutions to facilitate these goals, knowing that this is a long term effort that can be reached by incremental change with widespread public support. Support and education are vital parts of our strategy. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

FAMILY LIFE INTERNATIONAL https://www.fli.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS: ABORTION, EUTHANASIA, MARRIAGE, SEX EDUCATION, BIOETHICS
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About this organisation Family Life International NZ is a Catholic pro-life, pro-family organisation which has John Paul II Centres for Life in Auckland and Wellington and a dedicated team in Dunedin.  We provide practical help to women and girls facing an unplanned pregnancy, free pregnancy tests and pregnancy counseling.  Family Life International also offers post-abortion healing.  We educate on all the life issues from conception through to natural death including topics such as contraception, abortion, euthanasia, assisted suicide, sex education, eugenics, prenatal testing, IVF, marriage and gender ideology. Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

EUTHANASIA FREE NZ euthanasiadebate.org.nz
ORGANISATION TOPICS:  EUTHANASIA
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About this organisation No safeguards can protect elderly, disabled and mentally ill people from subtle, or not so subtle, pressure to request death. Essentially legal physician-assisted suicide is state-facilitated suicide and would contradict suicide prevention. These are some of the many reasons why our organisation warn against the legalisation of “assisted dying”, “aid in dying” or “end of life choice”, which are euphemisms for voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide. Legalisation would affect all of society, even those who don’t want such an “end-of-life choice” for themselves. It would put pressure on people who choose to stay alive, and imply that they are a burden on society.  It would make caring for disabled, mentally ill and elderly people optional, instead of the default. The question to consider is not, “Should certain individuals have access to an assisted death?” The question is, “Should criminal law change for the whole country?” Note: The below image is a recent screen grab and may not be up to date. Click on the image to see the latest info.

• “Labour will not be introducing a private members bill on euthanasia” Andrew Little MP, Leader Labour Party.
• THE NZ CONSERVATIVE PARTY LAUNCHES A NEW CHRISTMAS VIDEO “We Value Life”
• Why is the NZ Nurses Organisation Supporting the Killing of Patients?
• Experts warn against following overseas experience with euthanasia