End of Life Choices Debate on the North Shore

A public meeting hosted by North Shore MP Hon Maggie Barry tomorrow night to discuss euthanasia, assisted suicide and palliative care is an opportunity for North Shore residents to inform themselves about the key issues from both sides of the argument.

The meeting will be headlined by former Prime Minister Sir Bill English and visiting Canadian palliative expert Dr Leonie Herx against pro-euthanasia advocates End of Life Choice vice president Dr Mary Panko and retired palliative care specialist Dr Libby Smales and will be chaired by independent moderator Chris Mullane.

The End-of-Life Choice Bill, which is trying to change the Crimes Act legalise assisted suicide and euthanasia, will be returned to Parliament by the Justice Select Committee next week. As the Deputy Chair of the Select Committee, Ms Barry says an overwhelming 92 per cent of submitters were against the Bill, including medical professionals, because of their concerns that there were no real protections for society’s most vulnerable, the elderly, disabled and mentally unwell including people who are depressed and suicidal.

Her own Members Bill, currently in the ballot ‘Access to End of Life Palliative Care’ was developed after extensive consultation with national and international palliative experts and drawn from her own experiences as a former Patron of Hospice NZ and from Chairing a working party into the care of people who are dying for the National Health Committee in 1999.

“Before this country considers the nuclear option of euthanasia, we need to improve the availability of best quality care at the end of people’s lives. My Bill is based on the fundamental compassionate principle that every New Zealander deserves to die with dignity and with access to professional, high-standard, specialist palliative care and support services whenever and wherever they need it, be that in hospitals, hospices, aged-care facilities or in their own homes”.

End of life choices debate, 7-9pm Monday 1st April at Netball North Harbour, Northcote Rd, Takapuna

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