Andrew Denton has written a piece for The Australian entitled 'The dying deserve a compassionate choice when palliative care fails'. Amongst many compelling points, Denton says "The late Clive Deverall, founder of Palliative Care WA, wrote about this last year...
There are non-religious people who are wary of introducing voluntary assisted dying laws, but the Catholic strain is obvious and contentious. It was the organisation and funding from the broad Catholic church – as well fierce opposition from the AMA and concern from some Indigenous groups...
More Australians recorded "No religion" in the 2016 Census than any other individual religion or denomination. Surging from 22.3 percent in 2011 to 30.1 percent. “The lack of secular voices in the media perpetuates Christian privilege. Declining religiosity hasn't lessened the influence of the increasingly...
"There is a tremendous amount of misinformation put about by assisted dying opponents that generates unjustified fear, uncertainty and doubt. Professor Margaret Somerville acknowledges that she made a bold and unequivocal statement - about supposed general suicide contagion from assisted dying laws - that has...
The religious lobby against assisted dying by Andrew Denton Later this year there will be a conscience vote on legislation to be introduced to the Victorian parliament. The vote might be three months away, but already hardcore religious opponents have mobilised...
By Neil Francis Both the Herald Sun and The Age reported last week that religious anti-assisted dying crusaders are running a 'gloves off' campaign in Victoria. The crux of the story is that 'pollsters' claim to have run a survey in Victoria. They refuse to be identified....
Neil Francis presents empirical data and discussion and concludes: "They show that while a substantial majority of Australians support assisted dying, almost all the opposition to it is connected with religion, particularly amongst the most religious who are a small minority of the population.Despite the...
Blog by Neil Francis Dying for Choice. com A case in point is a massive advertisement published in both of Melbourne’s daily newspapers in 2008 when Victorian MLC Colleen Hartland introduced the Medical Treatment (Physician Assisted Dying) Bill into the State legislature. It was an open letter...
Kate Tobin, a 51-year-old former nun who worked in the UK as a palliative care nurse for 10 years, is suffering through the latter states of multiple sclerosis. She wants to be allowed to die. “I am of the belief that when I die, God...
Voluntary euthanasia has been knocked back in South Australian Parliament for the 15th time after a marathon late session in the House of Assembly overnight. The bill initially passed a second reading stage leading to a debate that continued up until about 4:00am. But the...