Many of our members have been following the progress of the Senate Committee appointed to inquire into national ‘dying with dignity’ legislation, as tabled on 24 June by Senator Richard Di Natale.
The Committee received 663 submissions from individuals, including many from DWDACT members, and over 4700 pro-forma submissions. This was followed by public hearings in Canberra and Melbourne.
Yesterday, the Senate Committee released its report on its findings.
Two key recommendations were made:
- That Senator Di Natale should address the issues raised in evidence to the committee, and seek the advice of relevant experts before drafting the final Bill.
- That if the Bill is introduced in the Senate, Party Leaders should allow Senators a conscience vote.
The Committee Chair, Liberal Senator Macdonald spoke out about his support for the right to die for terminally ill people, like his poor suffering mother.
The release of this report has coincided with a lot of media attention, especially in The Age, which has declared their support for national assisted dying legislation.
There has also been a lot of attention given internationally to the story of Brittany Maynard, a terminally ill 29 year old woman, who chose to have an assisted death in Oregon on 1 November.
Thanks for your continued support.”