Euthanasia

VOLUNTARY EUTHANASIA SOCIETY OF NEW ZEALAND (INC)

THE RIGHT TO DEATH WITH DIGNITY

Euthanasia means literally 'dying well'

Voluntary Euthanasia means having the right to choose to die well, but as the law stands many people will not have this choice.

Aims and Objectives

1. To campaign for and promote legislation to permit the administration of voluntary euthanasia to competent adults who request it and who suffer from terminal or incurable disease or condition causing deterioration of quality of life to a level that the applicant finds unacceptable.

1. To campaign for and promote repeal of that section of the crimes Act relating to the offences of aiding and abetting suicide (by a competent adult).

History

The Voluntary Euthanasia Society of NZ (Inc) was created after a speaking tour of New Zealand by Derek Humphry, English journalist and voluntary euthanasia campaigner. 1978 his visit was sponsored by the Auckland NZ Humanists Association and the Rationalists.

In 1978, members of both organisations formed the Auckland and Wellington, Voluntary Euthanasia Societies and began the campaign to bring about social change. These two organisations merged in 2004

Their big opportunity came in 1995, when MP Michael Laws sought to introduce his Death with Dignity Bill.It failed to get introduced into the House, but generated much publicity and public discussion. It was defeated 29 - 61.

The first success was the introduction of the Health and Disability Consumer Rights Act in1996. The government ruled that an Advance Directive as a common law right, should be free from restrictions, without necessity for formal witnessing and could also be made orally. Now an Advance Directive can be made by anybody.

In 2003, MP Peter Brown promoted a second Death with Dignity Bill.This had been preceded by five cases of husbands "mercy killing" their disabled or ill wives, over a four-year period. Again it was defeated but by a much narrower majority 57 - 60

As both were defeated at the first reading a Select Committee of Parliament has never studied or debated the issue.

The Brown bill called for a public referendum before the Act was passed by Parliament.

The current situation

The Society has a total membership of approximately 1000and now has three branches: Auckland branch - covering the North Island down to New Plymouth and Gisborne,

Wellington branch - covering the rest of the country except for

Kapiti / Horewhenua where the third branch was established in March 2011.

A Colmar Brunton Poll carried out in New Zealand in June 2010 demonstrated that 72% of those responding favoured voluntary euthanasia legislation.

The Society is working on new material for a further attempt to get proposed legislation before the House.

Over the years the society has sponsored and funded several overseas speakers to visit and talk in NZ. The latest was Professor Jan Bernheim, from Belgium. Professor Bernheim explained the current situation in Belgium, where physician assisted death is available for those who request it and who meet several carefully defined criteria. In his country Palliative care and PAD act together with the right of the patient to choose either.