Tasmania’s laws recognise that human lives have unique and infinite value, the Australian Christian Lobby says, observing that a compassionate society is measured by its care for the sick and dying, enhancing their quality of life.
“The euthanasia campaign launched this year shifts Tasmania from valuing life to abandoning some Tasmanians to the cruelty that their lives are not worth living,” ACL’s acting Tasmanian director Christopher Brohier said today, ”The Australian Medical Association’s Tasmanian president’s intervention last week should have the alarm bells ringing.”
“Worse still, the current draft doesn’t even require you to be terminally ill to access euthanasia,” Mr Brohier added, “Mike Gaffney MLC’s proposed euthanasia bill has fewer safeguards than either the Victorian laws or its more radical and recent Western Australian counterpart. In those states, euthanasia is limited to those with a terminal illness.”
“Tasmanian palliative care is woefully inadequate, only one full-time palliative care specialist for 100,000 population. That’s half the national benchmark,” Mr Brohier lamented, ” Politicians should focus their concern for the chronically ill on offering comfort, pain relief and support, improving palliative care and quality of life. All Tasmanians are entitled to the best quality of life.”
“Introducing euthanasia and assisted suicide diminishes the government’s duty to provide adequate care for the sick and dying,” Mr Brohier concluded, “Mr Gaffney’s proposal must be rejected.”
