Right to Life would like to correct the statement made in this media release that the proposal by the government of the Netherlands stated in the first paragraph is in fact a Private Members Bill, not a Government Bill. It is understood that parliamentarian Pia Dijkstra intends to introduce a draft bill in this regard in 2020
Media Release Monday 25th November 2019
Right to Life challenges David Seymour (pictured) who supports “choice” to tell our community whether he supports the current proposal of the The Netherlands government to provide assisted suicide to every person over the age of 75 years of age “who believes that they have completed their life”.
David Seymour is the leading advocate in New Zealand for the death lobby promoting choice for assisted suicide or to receive a lethal injection. Right to Life believes that his contentious anti-life End of Life Choice Bill is but the first step in implementing the ultimate hidden agenda for disposing of the lives of those not considered worthy of living.
Our community must now watch and pay attention as this agenda unfolds in the Netherlands, because our lives and that of our children depend on it. The Dutch government recently announced its intention to introduce legislation next year to provide State funded assisted suicide for any person over the age of seventy-five who believe that their life is complete. It will not be necessary to have a terminal illness or to have even have ill health. The ultimate logical step is for the government to make it a duty to accept assisted suicide on reaching 75. This would be a considerable saving for the Dutch health services and social welfare.
Polling conducted by the Dutch government reveal that the proposal has the support of 55% of the population. Half those polled wanted no age limit, a third wanted a lower limit.
The Netherlands has endured legislation allowing doctors to assist in the suicide of their patients or to give them a lethal injection since 2002. The populace has clearly been seduced by a culture of death. It commenced with accepting the killing of the terminally ill and quickly expanded to include those with depression, Alzheimer’s, dementia, the disabled and even children. Should New Zealand say yes to the referendum on the End of Life Choice Bill at the next election, there is no reason why New Zealand should not stumble blindly in the steps of the Netherlands. If we do not learn from history, the destruction of human life will be the inevitable consequence.
Euthanasia is about doctors killing their patients or assisting in their suicide. It is intrinsically evil; no referendum can legitimise that which is evil. The prohibition against taking the life of another human being is the foundation of the law and medicine. It is always wrong to kill another innocent human being. The approval of the community, even in a referendum, can never make murder acceptable. A referendum is an attempt to seduce and to implicate the whole community in the murder of the vulnerable.
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life
Hello, great article, however, I believe the use of the name ‘Holland’ needs to be changed. Holland is a region within The Netherlands, and is not actually the country itself.
Agree and now changed.
May I – like you use misinformation – over and over again refute those? The Dutch government as such has NEVER proposed any form of legislation for 75 and older with completed life. Whatever will be brought forward is a so called MP bill that when it is published will need a Parliamentary debate, the outcome of which is not by far certain to be positive. And, importantly it will not be an addition to the existing Euthanasia Law, which is principally about MEDICAL aid in dying, contrary to the possible new initiative is principally NOT with doctors assistance. I do not need to tell you that polling results – however constructive they may be – seldom equalize parliamentary attitudes.
Last of all misunderstandings from your side: the law in the Netherlands FROM THE START has been about suffering, and not about terminal conditions, and thus principally included non-terminal and non-somatic conditions.
Dear Rob,
Thank you for your communication of 9 December I appreciate your comments and corrections. We wish to make our case with correct information and not misinformation.
We of course have to rely on the accuracy of information provided by reputable sources on the internet.We are informed that in 2016 the Dutch Minister of Health of the 2nd Rutte cabinet announced plans to draft a law to allow for assisted suicide for the elderly who believed that “their life was complete.”
We note that on 2nd September 2019 the Dutch Liberal Party, D66, a member of the ruling coalition was working on a bill to be presented to Parliament in 2020 to provide for completed life.
You advise that this is to be a private member’s bill and not a government bill. I have done further research and I have read on the Dutch News that parliamentarian Pia Dijkstra told the AD in an interview that she plans to introduce a draft bill early next year. I believe that this suggests that a proposed bill will indeed be a private members bill and not a government bill. I apologise for my mistake and will ensure that in future we will not repeat this error.
Kind regards
Ken Orr
Spokesperson ,
Right to Life