Death With Dignity Bill Lost in Narrow Vote
Politicians in 2003 rejected a proposed new law which would have
given people with terminal or incurable illnesses the right to
die. The Death With Dignity Bill failed to cross its first hurdle
in Parliament on Wednesday 30 July 2003, when it was defeated
at the first reading by 60 votes to 58 in a conscience vote for
MPs. One MP abstained and one did not vote.
The bill would have allowed the seriously ill to ask a doctor
to help them die. But even if it had been eventually passed by
Parliament, voluntary euthanasia would not have become law until
it was supported by a majority of New Zealand voters in a referendum.
New Zealand First MP Peter Brown, the architect of the bill, said
after the vote that he was shattered.
"The politicians have let the people of New Zealand down. I'm
pretty brassed off."
MPs nine years ago also defeated plans for voluntary euthanasia.
Mr Brown cannot put forward another bill at least until after
the next election.
National party leader Bill English had spoken strongly against
legalising voluntary euthanasia.
How the MPs Voted on the Death With Dignity Bill
FOR
Marc Alexander (UF) Tim Barnett (Lab) David Benson-Pope (Lab) Georgina Beyer (Lab) Sue Bradford (Greens) Don Brash (Nat) Peter Brown (NZ First) Mark Burton (Lab) Chris Carter (Lab) Brent Catchpole (NZ First) Steve Chadwick (Lab) Helen Clark (Lab) Deborah Coddington (Act) David Cunliffe (Lab) Rod Donald (Greens) Brian Donnelly (NZ First) Helen Duncan (Labour) Ruth Dyson (Lab) Gerrard Eckhoff (Act) Ian Ewen-Street (Greens) Russell Fairbrother (Lab) Jeanette Fitzsimons (Greens) Stephen Franks (Act) Phil Goff (Lab) George Hawkins (Lab) Dave Hereora (Lab) Rodney Hide (Act) Marian Hobbs (Lab) Pete Hodgson (Lab) Jonathan Hunt (Lab) John Key (Nat) Luamanuvao Winnie Laban (Lab) Keith Locke (Greens) Moana Mackey (Labour) Steve Maharey (Lab) Murray McCully (Nat) Mahara Okeroa (Lab) Pita Paraone (NZ First) Edwin Perry (NZ First) Jim Peters (NZ First) Winston Peters (NZ First) Lynne Pillay (Lab) Richard Prebble (Act) Matt Robson (Prog C) Heather Roy (Act) Dover Samuels (Lab) Ken Shirley (Act) Lockwood Smith (Nat) Barbara Stewart (NZ First) Nandor Tanczos (Greens) Georgina te Heuheu (Nat) Judith Tizard (Lab) Metiria Turei (Greens) Tariana Turia (Lab) Mike Ward (Greens) Maurice Williamson (Nat) Pansy Wong (Nat) Doug Woolerton (NZ First)
AGAINST
Paul Adams (UF) Jim Anderton (Prog C) Shane Ardern (Nat) Donna Awatere Huata (Act) Larry Baldock (United Future) Rick Barker (Lab) Gerry Brownlee (Nat) David Carter (Nat) John Carter (Nat) Ashraf Choudhary (Lab) Judith Collins (Nat) Brian Connell (Nat) Gordon Copeland (UF) Clayton Cosgrove (Lab) Michael Cullen (Lab) Lianne Dalziel (Lab) Peter Dunne (UF) Harry Duynhoven (Lab) Bill English (Nat) Taito Phillip Field (Lab) Martin Gallagher (Lab) Mark Gosche (Lab) Sandra Goudie (Nat) Bill Gudgeon (NZ First) Ann Hartley (Lab) Phil Heatley (Nat) Parekura Horomia (Lab) Darren Hughes (Lab) Paul Hutchison (Nat) Sue Kedgley (Greens) Annette King (Lab) Janet Mackey (Lab) Nanaia Mahuta (Lab) Trevor Mallard (Lab) Wayne Mapp (Nat) Ron Mark (NZ First) Craig McNair (NZ First) Muriel Newman (Act) Damien O'Connor (Lab) Bernie Ogilvy (UF) David Parker (Lab) Mark Peck (Lab) Jill Pettis (Lab) Simon Power (Nat) Katherine Rich (Nat) Mita Ririnui (Lab) Ross Robertson (Lab) Tony Ryall (Nat) Lynda Scott (Nat) Clem Simich (Nat) Murray Smith (UF) Nick Smith (Nat) Roger Sowry (Nat) Jim Sutton (Lab) Paul Swain (Lab) Lindsay Tisch (Nat) Judy Turner (UF) Margaret Wilson (Lab) Richard Worth (Nat) Dianne Yates (Lab)
ABSTENTION
Dail Jones (NZ First)
DID NOT VOTE
John Tamihere (Lab)
Click here to download Hansard account of this debate (PDF, 650KB )