The passage of the euthanasia bill (named Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill 2020) in June 2021 through the South Australian Parliament’s House of Assembly is no cause for rejoicing. Over 850 medical doctors signed a full page statement opposing euthanasia published in The Advertiser last weekend. In addition Lutheran, Islamic, Catholic and Greek Orthodox leaders wrote a joint statement opposing the bill.
Overseas medical experts who live in euthanasia regimes -such as Professor Theo Boer – a former regulator of euthanasia in Holland for 15 years say “Don’t do it - it’s too dangerous”.
Yet the false narrative about euthanasia continues to be pedalled by Australia’s media personalities and those with individual stories about death.
South Australian MPs should not be proud of the so-called ‘South Australian flavour’ added to the bill. Euthanasia is Euthanasia no matter how it is legislated.
We can only hope there IS indeed an oasis for patients who are scared to be admitted to hospitals where euthanasia is performed.
Euthanasia is not health care. It is the deliberate taking of a human life by state sanctioned killing.
We urge all Australians to read the websites of Health Professionals Say No and the website of Australian Care Alliance to understand the gravity of the euthanasia bill which has been passed.
When the false narrative about euthanasia continues to be pedalled in Parliaments around the country it is uplifting to see new hope for patients with dementia has been announced in the US*. We must reject the spectre of euthanasia and continue developing life-giving treatments.
The Right to Life Australia Inc. defends the right to life of all human beings from conception until natural death. We lobby government for legal protection of the most vulnerable in society – the unborn baby, elderly, sick and those with disabilities.