Media Release 24 September 2014

What will Labour now do with their dangerous Euthanasia bill?

Maryan Street is the sponsor of the lethal “End of Life Choices” bill, which is part of a culture of death. This bill was withdrawn from the ballot box in September 2013. The reason given was to avoid it being a 'distraction', should it have been drawn before the 2014 general election. Marion Street pledged to return the bill to the ballot immediately after the election. She said “this will be one of my first actions”. Fortunately, a higher authority has decided otherwise as Marion Street was not returned to Parliament in last Saturday’s election.

This pernicious bill if passed, would allow doctors to kill their patients or assist in their suicide. There is no dignity in being killed by your doctor. This bill is part of a culture of death and is a threat to the lives of the vulnerable in society; the disabled, the elderly and the seriously ill. Right to Life believes that should this bill be passed into law the right to die would soon become a duty to die, with many persons being murdered without their consent or knowledge. We can say this because that is exactly what is happening in the few jurisdictions around the world foolish enough to legislate for the decriminalization of Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Suicide.

Right to Life has written to David Cunliffe and to each of the members of the Labour caucus requesting that they recognise that this dangerous bill is a poison chalice that is likely to be detrimental to the party’s future chances of election. We have asked them to take immediate action to ensure that in the interest of the vulnerable in society and indeed the Labour Party itself, that this lethal bill be finally and permanently rejected. They should ensure that no member of their caucus takes ownership of this lethal bill or returns it to the ballot.

The Labour caucus should be aware that the threat of this bill to the community was a contributing reason for many conservative voters abandoning the Labour Party at this general election. The caucus should promote a culture of life not a culture of death.

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