26 June 2008
Euthanasia
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At the moment there are two pieces of legislation before Australian parliaments which would provide a legal framework for euthanasia under very specific circumstances: one in the Victorian parliament and one in the Federal Senate. Apparently around 85 per cent of Victorians favour the right to choose assistance with dying. Is legislation long overdue or the beginning of a slippery moral slope?
Guests
Dr. Rodney Syme, President of Dying with Dignity Victoria and author of the book "A Good Death" published by MUP
Dr. Bernadette Tobin, Director Plunkett Centre for Ethics, a joint centre of St Vincent's and Australian Catholic University
Colleen Hartland, a Green's member of the Victorian Parliament
Dr. Ben White, Senior Lecturer, Health Law Research Program, Faculty of Law, Queensland University of Technology
Further Information
Link to Dying with Dignity Victoria
Link to the Senate Legal and Constitutional Affairs Committee's report on Bob Brown's bill proposal.
Link to Physician Assisted Dying Bill, proposed by Colleen Hartland to the Victorian Parliament
Link to Human Rights and Euthanasia
Link to AMA Position Statement on the Role of the Medical Practitioner in End of Life Care - 2007
Link to organisation against euthanasia
Link to Palliative Care Australia
Presenter
Paul Barclay
Story Researcher and Producer
Karin Zsivanovits
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