Tag: voluntary assisted dying

Legalising Euthanasia Risks Undermining Life Under Human Rights Rhetoric, Liberal Senator Argues

An Australian senator has pushed back against the move to legalise euthanasia in Australia’s territories, saying that it will “depreciate the value we place on life” under the banner of human rights. The comment comes following the introduction of a private bill dubbed Restoring Territory Rights, which aims to hand the Northern Territory and the…


Legalising Euthanasia Will ‘Depreciate’ the Value of Life, Senator Says

A senator is pushing back against the move to legalise euthanasia in Australia’s territories, saying it will “depreciate the value we place on life” under the banner of human rights. The comment comes following the introduction of a private bill dubbed Restoring Territory Rights, which aims to hand the Northern Territory and the Australian Capital…


Hearing in the Last Australian State Without Euthanasia Laws Begins

A voluntary assisted dying (VAD) bill in Australian state of New South Wales (NSW) will go through parliamentary inquiries. The NSW Legislative Council has begun the first out of three hearings from Wednesday, after a four-day long debate saw the proposed legislation, NSW Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2021, passed the lower house 52-32 on Nov….


Euthanasia Looks to Conquer Final Frontier in Australia

Commentary Supporters of voluntary assisted dying (VAD) are keen to push New South Wales (NSW) across the final frontier of euthanasia legalisation as quickly as possible. Currently, NSW is the only jurisdiction in Australia that has not yet passed a law granting the so-called “right to die,” but hopes that the VAD bill promoted by…


MP Kicks-Off Debate to Bring Euthanasia to Last Remaining Australian State

Independent member of Parliament Alex Greenwich has introduced a bill that will kick-off debate around legalising euthanasia in Australia’s most populous state, New South Wales (NSW). Currently, NSW is the only state in the country—barring the territories—that has not legalised the practice. Greenwich, who represents the state-level electorate of Sydney—a progressive-leaning district—introduced the Voluntary Assisted…


The Euthanasia Slippery Slope: A Demand Driven Business

Commentary In May 2003, the “International Trade and Business Law Annual,” of which I was founding Editor-in-Chief, published an article on Belgium’s new euthanasia laws, which were passed on May 28, 2002. Written by Prof. Walter De Bondt of the University of Ghent, it provided an overview of one of the earliest iterations of voluntary assisted dying…


Will the Right to Die Always Trump the Right to Religious Liberty?

Commentary Once again, rights to freedom of thought, conscience, and religion—all fundamental freedoms set out in the 1948 Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR) and which Australia has ratified—are under attack. This time, the threat comes from the recent decision of Queensland’s Palaszczuk government to deny faith-based hospitals and aged care facilities the right to…


Queensland Opposition Leader to Vote Against Euthanasia

Queensland’s Liberal National Party leader will vote against legalising euthanasia laws saying there are no guarantees terminally ill patients will have access to high-quality palliative care. Crisafulli had been non-committal on his position leading up to parliamentary debates, which began Sept. 14 around the prospective laws. Under Queensland’s Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) Bill, those with…


A ‘Lightning Rod’ for Vilification: Australian MP’s Experience Opposing Euthanasia

West Australian Upper House MP Nick Goiran has said that repeated personal attacks and media vilification against opponents of proposed euthanasia laws served as the cornerstone of the campaign that ultimately won public support for the controversial legislation. Amid acrimonious debate over the issue, Western Australia’s largest newspaper ran the following front-page headline: “RIP Democracy…