The Australian Christian Lobby has hit back at calls by the Ministerial Advisory Panel and Go Gentle to reject any amendments to the euthanasia bill in the state’s Legislative Council, branding the calls as ‘the height of arrogance’.
“No bill is perfect – even broadly accepted legislation gets amended once unintended consequences are identified,” ACL’s WA director Peter Abetz said, “A MLC’s primary job is to scrutinise every piece of legislation to prevent unintended consequences – particularly fatal ones. For both bodies to call on MLCs to rubber stamp the work of bureaucrats and lawyers undermines the democratic process.”
Mr Abetz recently wrote to all 36 Members of the Legislative Council, urging them to give serious consideration to the amendments that are being put forward to improve the Bill.
“Many members of both houses of parliament who support ‘Voluntary Assisted Dying’ (VAD), want to see amendments to the Bill,” Mr Abetz added, “Most glaringly, next of kin will not be informed that their loved one is accessing VAD. The bill also fails to preserve doctors’ conscientious objection to participating in VAD.”
“West Australians deserve to have legislation that has no less safeguards than the Victorian legislation.” Mr Abetz said.
