Call for Submissions: Victorian Inquiry 2015

HOPE
Preventing Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide
Call for Submissions: Victorian Inquiry 2015
PARLIAMENT OF VICTORIA
STANDING COMMITTEE ON LEGAL AND SOCIAL ISSUES (Legislation and References) Inquiry
into End of Life Choices (http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/lsic/article/2607)
On the 7th of May this year, the Legislative Council (Upper House) of the Victorian Parliament passed a
resolution to establish an inquiry into ‘End of Life Choices’.
The committee will report to the Parliament in May 2016.
Background:
At the time that the Victorian Government introduced this motion, there were a number of
instruments on the Legislative Council Notice Paper intending directly to deal with the issue of
euthanasia. Those matters were effectively neutralised by this broader approach to what has been
termed ‘end-of-life’ issues.
The Terms of Reference (listed below) allows for a broad range of inputs on matters such as care
provision, palliative care, advance care directives and, intrinsically, euthanasia & assisted suicide.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
That pursuant to Sessional Order 6 this House requires the Legal and Social Issues
Committee to inquire into, consider and report, no later than 31 May 2016, on the need for
laws in Victoria to allow citizens to make informed decisions regarding their own end of
life choices and, in particular, the Committee should —
(1) assess the practices currently being utilised within the medical community to assist
a person to exercise their preferences for the way they want to manage their end of life,
including the role of palliative care;
(2) review the current framework of legislation, proposed legislation and other relevant
reports and materials in other Australian states and territories and overseas jurisdictions; and
(3) consider what type of legislative change may be required, including an examination of
any federal laws that may impact such legislation.
Submissions can be lodged by email or by utilizing the submission form on the Victorian Parliament’s
website.
Notes:
While the reference does not specifically mention euthanasia and/or assisted suicide, submissions from
those opposing the legalisation of these practices should make clear reference to such opposition.
We recommend that, as is the intention of the reference, that submissions also include, wherever
practically possible, comment on end-of-life matters more broadly.
Submissions are not restricted to residents of Victoria. Anyone who wishes to comment should
do so and overseas submissions, particularly from groups and organisations, are encouraged.
Brought to you by HOPE: Preventing Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide.
Register now for free HOPE updates and newsletters at www.noeuthanasia.org.au and please donate to support this important work.
HOPE can be contacted at PO Box 229, Marden SA 5070 or phone 0407 500 881.
The Victorian Parliament’s Inquiry page offers the following:
HAVE YOUR SAY — CALL FOR SUBMISSIONS
Are Victorian laws adequately meeting people’s expectations regarding medical options
available at the end of their life?
The Legislative Council’s Legal and Social Issues Committee is interested in the community’s
views, insights and experiences in relation to this issue, to inform its recommendations to the
Parliament. The Committee will examine:
• How current medical practices and palliative care can assist a person manage their end of life
• How this issue is managed in other Australian and international jurisdictions
• Potential changes to our legislative framework.
The Committee invites submissions from individuals, groups or organisations addressing the
Terms of Reference. All submissions are public documents unless confidentiality is requested
and granted by the Committee.
When making a submission please advise the Committee if you also wish to appear at a public
hearing.
Note: The opening sentence talks about ‘medical options available at the end of their life’. We need to stress
that euthanasia & assisted suicide are NOT ‘medical options’. Deliberately acting to cause the death of a
person is not a medical act!
Notes for making your submission:
Please stress that euthanasia & assisted suicide are not medical options and should never be made law. We
suggest that you offer some reasons for this assertion: risk to vulnerable people, examples from Belgium,
Netherlands, Oregon etc.
We suggest that you call for more effort to be made to ensure that all Victorians have access to the best of
care at the end-of-life and that, while ever such services are not up to recommended standards and available
to all on an equal basis, we should never be considering state sanctioned killing!
If you have a personal story, please use it.
For Medical and Allied Professionals:
Individual and corporate submissions from medical and allied professionals are most welcome!
In addition to personal reflections and citing studies etc., some matters raised recently in the press that
obfuscate the role of medicine, palliative care and the law would be worth addressing:
Doctors are adequately protected in law against any claim of hastening a death where the double effect
principle was applied and where their actions were in line with best medical practice and the intention and
action was to relieve pain and symptoms.
Euthanasia and assisted suicide are not medical actions and should never be considered as being an element
in good palliative medicine.
Providing a lethal substance or the promise of a lethal injection is never palliative in the true sense of that
medical discipline.
Resources:
For articles and for access to research, we suggest that you may want to access the following websites and
use their search facilities:
HOPE: Preventing Euthanasia & Assisted Suicide (www.noeuthanasia.org.au)
Alex Schadenberg’s Blog (www.alexschadenberg.blogspot.com)
Doctors Opposed to Euthanasia (www.bestcare.com.au)
Palliative Care Australia (www.palliativecare.org.au)
Australian and New Zealand Society of Palliative Medicine (www.anzspm.org.au)
References:
The only other time an Australian State Parliament conducted such a comprehensive review was the 1998
Tasmanian Parliamentary Inquiry. It is worth referring to their conclusions. CLICK HERE
The Victorian Auditor General recently tabled a report on Palliative Care in Victoria. It highlights some
significant shortfalls in the availability of services. CLICK HERE
Lodging your submission:
Shorter personal submissions can be lodged via the Inquiry website.
Longer submissions can be lodged via email: [email protected]
Submissions should be addressed to:
Lilian Topic,
Secretary,
Legal & Social Issues Committee
Parliament House,
Spring Street,
Melbourne VIC 3002
Reference: Inquiry into End of Life Choices.
Please include your full name, address and title (if applicable) and contact details in the body of your
submission.
Note: If you wish to appear before the Inquiry, please make note of this clearly in your submission.
For further details:
If you need any assistance with making your submission, please feel free to email Paul Russell at
[email protected]
Remember, submissions are due no later than the 31st of July 2015!