Media Release 10 August 2024
Right to Life encourages the community to defend the sanctity of life of every human being by making an online submission to the Health Assisted Dying Secretariat, seeking the repeal of the End of Life Choice legislation and opposing any amendment that would increase the empowerment of doctors to kill eligible patients with a lethal injection or assist in their suicide.
Euthanasia is intrinsically evil, it is not a “health service”, it is a grave offence to the Creator, a violation of human rights and violates medical ethics.
The EOLC Act came into operation on 7th November 2021. The Act requires that the first review take place in the first three years. Future reviews will take place every five years.
The Assisted Dying Secretariat has commenced the first review of the EOLC Act on 1st August and will conclude the review on 26th September 2024.
The report of the review will be presented to the Minister of Health, it will be tabled in Parliament. The report will include recommendations for amending the EOLC Act.
The first part of the review is to review the operation of the Act. This will entail seeking comment on the operation of the Act from providers of euthanasia and those who have a role in providing it.
Right to Life believes that resulting from this consultation the following amendments to the Act will be recommended to increase the number of patients eligible to be killed by their doctor or assisted in suicide.
The second part of the review provides for the public to make an online submission on the Ministry of Health’s website.
Right to Life suggests that you consider the following potential amendments to the EOLC Act.
• Opposing removing the prohibition on medical practitioners from initiating a discussion with a patient that they should consider assisted suicide or euthanasia.
• Opposing the introduction of a requirement that the patient is expected to die within 12 months.
• Opposing the removal of the requirement that the patient is expected to die within 6 months
• Opposing euthanasia being extended to the disabled or those who have Dementia or Alzheimers disease
• Opposing euthanasia being extended to those who have an advance directive for their healthcare
• Opposing hospices being mandated to allow the assessment of their patients for euthanasia in their facility, and to allow their killing in the hospice.
• Supporting an amendment which would allow doctors and nurses to refuse on conscience grounds from being involved in the killing of patients under the EOLC Act.
• Supporting an amendment to prohibit euthanasia and assisted suicide being performed in a funeral home or crematorium.
A report summarising the public’s views will be offered to the Minister of Health after the Review; recommendations to the EOLC Act will be made based on part one of this report. The reports will be tabled in the House and political parties may consider private member’s bills which would normally be placed in the ballot. Alternatively a Member may seek leave of the House for the bill to be accepted to have its first reading on the next Member’s day.If such a bill was passed at its first reading it would be referred to a select committee for consideration and to receive submissions from the public.
Submissions can be made using this link to the Ministry of Health website: https://consult.health.govt.nz/regulatory-policy/public-consultation-for-the-review-of-the-end-of-l/
Ken Orr,
Spokesperson,
Right to Life New Zealand Inc
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