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New South Wales Legislative Council narrowly rejects assisted suicide

On Thursday 16 November the New South Wales Legislative Council narrowly rejected the Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017 by 20 votes to 19. The vote took place at almost midnight after a long debate through the day.

Former Prime Minister Paul Keating welcomed the news, saying:

 

“The council didn’t cave in to the defeatism of those who think the struggle at the end of life is a struggle in vain,” Mr Keating said. “What the political system should be providing is support, optimism and the facilitation of the complexities at the end one’s life.

“What we need is kindness, compassion and palliative care.”

Source

Christian Democrat Fred Nile said legalisation was a dangerous move.

“How will such a bill, once passed, impact on how we see value in life?” he said.

Liberal backbencher Taylor Martin argued euthanasia was comparable to re-introducing the death penalty.

“One of the main reasons why Australia stopped the barbaric practise of capital punishment is because it is so final,” he said.

“We must consider this bill through a similar lens.”

Source

Here is how NSW MP's voted:

AYES (19)

Blair, Mr N
Buckingham, Mr J
Fang, Mr W
Faruqi, Dr M
Field, Mr J
Franklin, Mr B
Graham, Mr J
Khan, Mr T
Mallard, Mr S
Pearson, Mr M
Phelps, Dr P
Primrose, Mr P
Searle, Mr A
Sharpe, Ms P
Shoebridge, Mr D
Taylor, Ms B
Veitch, Mr M
Voltz, Ms L
Walker, Ms D

NOES (20)

Amato, Mr L
Borsak, Mr R
Brown, Mr R
Clarke, Mr D
Colless, Mr R
Cusack, Ms C
Donnelly, Mr G
Farlow, Mr S
Green, Mr P
Harwin, Mr D
Houssos, Ms C
MacDonald, Mr S
Maclaren-Jones, Ms N
Martin, Mr T
Mason-Cox, Mr M
Mookhey, Mr D
Moselmane, Mr S
Nile, Reverend F
Secord, Mr W
Wong, Mr E

Source: NSW Parliament Hansard for Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2017


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