Media Release Wednesday 26th June 2019

Right to Life is disappointed that Parliament has embraced a culture of death by passing the End of Life Choice bill [EOLCB] which if passed at its third reading will allow doctors to kill their patients or assist in their suicide. This is a violation of the sanctity of life ethic and of the prohibition of the taking of the life of an innocent human being, the foundation of the law and of medicine, We change it our our peril.

This is a tragic moment and a day of shame in the history of our Parliament. This is the day Parliament in a conscience vote passed the EOLCB at its second reading by  70 votes to 50.  Parliament has now decreed that there are some lives not worthy of life. It has placed in jeopardy the lives of our most vulnerable, the aged, the disabled and the seriously ill. Right to Life congratulates those Members who bravely defended the God given right to life of every member of our community and voted against this bill.           

Parliament in passing this bill has abandoned its commitment to upholding a culture of life and its sacred duty to legislate for the protection of the lives of every human being from conception to natural death and not to preside over our destruction. It is not the role of Parliament to decide who shall live and who may be killed.

Parliament in passing this bill has ignored the overwhelming rejection of euthanasia and this bill by  91.8 per cent of the 39,159 written submissions received by the Justice Select Committee. The bill was also rejected by 85 per cent of the 3,600 oral submissions heard by the Select Committee. The chairman of the Committee in reporting the bill back to Parliament advised that the Committee was unable to agree that the bill should be passed. The bill was strongly opposed by the New Zealand Medical Association, by disability groups and Aged Concern.

Right to Life now earnestly requests that Parliament defeats this bill at its third reading and ensures that every New Zealander has access to death with dignity through our world class palliative care. We must ensure that palliative care is fully funded and accessible. Parliament should also commit itself to implementing the government’s Suicide Prevention Strategy with the objective of reducing our appalling suicide rate.

Ken Orr,

Spokesperson,

Right to Life