Media Release 11 August 2018

Simon Bridges would support a binding referendum on euthanasia over the  conscience of National MPs

Right to Life is disappointed that Simon Bridges, leader of the National Party has recently declared that a National led government under his leadership would legalise assisted dying if the public wanted it, expressed through a referendum even though the issue was a conscience issue.

 Simon Bridges and all MPs have a duty as legislators to uphold the inalienable right to life of every member of the community from conception to natural death. This right to life is given to us by our Creator at conception, it may not be taken from us nor may we give it up. 

Every Member of Parliament has been endowed with a conscience which is the voice of God encouraging us to do good and to avoid evil. Every MP has a duty to follow an informed conscience. Every MP when voting on issues concerning the protection of the right to life may take guidance of the views of constituents but must vote to defend life according to an informed conscience. An MP can never abdicate his responsibility to follow his conscience on life issues by deferring to a referendum.

It is always wrong to kill another innocent human being. The approval of the community, even if supported in a referendum, can never make murder acceptable. Such a referendum is an attempt to seduce and implicate the whole community in the murder of the vulnerable. The most fundamental medical ethic of not killing or helping patients kill themselves, must not be reduced to a public opinion poll.

Right to Life earnestly requests that Simon Bridges rejects his support of a binding referendum and reconfirms his support for the right of Parliamentarians to vote in accordance with their conscience and to vote to defeat any resolution seeking to authorise a binding referendum that seeks to implicate the whole community in the murder of its most vulnerable members. Its advocates claim falsely that it would be democratic to allow every citizen to vote on this life and death issue.

Right to Life believes that in the event of a binding referendum on the issue of the End of Life Choice bill that the correct moral position would be to refuse to participate in a referendum that is morally indefensible.

Ken Orr

Spokesperson,

Right to Life.