The Australian Christian Lobby’s Tasmanian Director Christopher Brohier has commended the Tasmanian Premier for his concern for the vulnerable amid debate on a private member’s bill promoting assisted suicide. The Premier told ABC radio listeners this week: “I have never been convinced that the legislation in the past has sufficient safeguards to ensure that the vulnerable in our society will be protected.”
“The Premier is right to have that concern and caution,” Mr Brohier said. “Mike Gaffney’s assisted suicide bill is loosely drawn and will be ripe for abuse of vulnerable people. Such abuse occurred in a recent Queensland case, where a man encouraged his wife to commit suicide to profit from her life insurance policies.”
Mr Brohier said the Premier’s wise approach contrasted with the careless attitude of Labor MPs who have indicated they will support the Gaffney Bill even before it has been presented to Parliament.
“Labor should follow the Premier’s concern for the vulnerable,” Mr Brohier proposed, “The ACL calls on the Tasmanian Parliament to provide hope and purpose for the vulnerable by supporting palliative care and to reject Mr Gaffney’s poorly drafted assisted suicide bill.”
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