Brilliant suggestion. This should be sent to every MP with a plea that one of them should draft the requisite bill. One addition must be that within say 3/6 months the appointed doctor must prescribe the Nembyutal if formally requested.

This final decision has to be eventually the "patients" right and not the doctors decision.

Death is a natural end of life experience!

Most of us will no doubt die in our sleep and completely untroubled!

Some will experience some pain and difficulty, like an Irish great grandmother who lived most of her life with a prolapsed womb; and never once complained even when 85, coming back from the garden so tired she had to drag the shovel, because she couldn't lift it!

And all but crippled with arthritis, to the point she needed two hands to hold a cup, saucer or the bowl she used to slurp from.

My mother when barely a teenager, took over her garden and other duties, essential if the family were to eat; and then nursed her the rest of her days, when she was all but bedridden; and made sure her granny knew it was both a rare privilege and a pleasure!

Today we have pain relief vastly more powerful than morphine or heroin, so there's no question of anyone needing to suffer; even where nil by mouth is ordered to counter projectile vomiting and the like.

Yesterday's melanoma could have been a death sentence carried out in around a year. Now there's a breakthrough and real hope of many more pain free quality years.

There's an equally remarkable treatment for depression, with already approved medication; which previously might have only been remediated by a visit from doctor death?

Even so, those who want to exercise some degree of control over their passing, can and should make a living will! Which allows them to decide what treatment or care is given, and can include nil by mouth and no oxygen, i.e.

And enough pain relief to ensure the passing is a completely pain free one.

And given that's so and part of a suite of already existing choices.
All we need do, is decriminalize the end of days pain relief assistance by caring and compassionate doctors!
Rhrosty.

Valerie a very sensible post, being 80 years myself, one realises in themselves that death will be the next step, personally I most certainly want the option of a peaceful death when the pain and dignity is lost, unfortunately not law at present, mainly due to the religious right. We know that life cannot go on for ever and in a way prepare ourselves for the final step, having just visited a friend with Altzheimers, it is a living death, others in the same ward are waiting for death to happen, it is a very cruel end and which they should not have to tolerate, their brains have shrunk and cannot be restored, I felt in myself that all with a quick injection would end this misery, why keep 80 plus years with this disease alive, being a non religious person it is easier for me to accept there is nothing after I go, religious people tend to want to hang on to this life but they should be wanting to enter the kingdom of God sooner and not be afraid of death, unfortunately they are.
Being an ambulance attendant volunteer in the 1970's, the code of practise then was that the young must be saved and the older person last to be attended to, one should always keep in mind that ambulance people although trained to save people from death do have a say in whether a person lives or dies, before a doctor does just that.
Funeral euphemisms in my opinion are stupid "resting in peace" what crap, you are dead and will be burnt or smelling to high heaven as you rot, not this so called resting in peace.
An excellent viewpoint Valerie, may your end and mine be as what we want now the end is near, no more 20 year life guarantees when we buy a new water hose.

The Swiss have a great system in place, run by Exit Switzerland, which is a separate organisation to the rest of Exit. It works great, but only applies to Swiss citizens. A similar system could be introduced here. It gives people what most want, and that is choice about their own lives.

Most of us don't want the Pope, the Govt or Rhrosty to prevent us from deciding these things for ourselves. Lets hold a referendum, that will decide it once and for all

The doctor ignoring Ms. Yule's wishes is as arrogant and uncaring as our poor quality Australia politicians.

Note only do these awful people (politicians) want to tell us what to think, how to act, what to eat, how much exercise we need, who and what we should tolerate, and generally trash the idea that we are capable of making up our own minds, they also want to interfere in our deaths.

"Make them miserable as long as we can", seems to be the the political credo. "Not only will we stop their freedom of speech, make sure housing is out of their reach by selling to foreigners, import thousands of immigrants even though there are no jobs for Australians, lick the boots of the United Nations and its despots, and really upset them by importing jihadists. And, while we are at it, keep them alive, no matter what, in case we can still squeeze something out of them to go towards our pension schemes. Who cares if they suffer."

"Oh, and even though we are a secular country, we'll put the frighteners on them by getting in the church people to people blather on about God and the sanctity of life. We know that the church and state are supposed to be separate, but if we can't make exceptions, who can?"

As long as we keep voting in the same types of people, we will not even be allowed to die in peace. Politics in Australia is a business run for the profit of politicians: they dick around long enough to ensure that they have the maximum possible benefits, plus a 'one for the boys' job, then their seat gets passed on to the next party flunky who has worked his way through the business by working for them. Bit like a continuing dynasty.

If you are old and still have your faculties then, before it is too late, acquire the means of ending it all and keep it handy.

Also get a body bag to go out in as the release of body fluids can make it messy for whoever has to clean up after the event.
People who choose the wrist cutting demise should do it in the bathtub with the shower running warm, this ensures that the blood is not a problem.
We all have the right to end it all at any time but we should do it with due consideration for the cleanup crew..