The article is very true on what most of Australians want regarding Voluntary Eithanasia but is denied by religious and members of Parliament who are guided by their religious beliefs, I wish to die the way I want to die,not the way Julia Gillard and others may want me to die, but I daresay she would opt for VE not having religious convictions, most wealthy people through money and the right Doctor can have Voluntary Euthanasia if they request it,and no questions asked, as an example King George V, there are one or two Australians I could name as well.
The only concern I have with the article is the reference to Dr. Philip Nitschke, I have never received any information from him as to how to end my life and I daresay most of other Australians haven't either unless you are a member of Exit.
There are Voluntary Euthanasia Societies in each state who work diligently towards having VE passed through Parliament, these people were not mentioned in the article, these are the people who hand out pamphlets and generally advise people face to face on their rights as the law now stands regarding VE and what the future may hold for them when VE is passed,the writer should include all VE Societies not just PN who by his methods will get the most press publicity, forgeting all others.

Hi Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc.,

No, not everybody who has misgivings about euthanasia, even about its definition, is a puppet of the Pope. I'm an atheist, always have been, always will be, and I have misgivings. I certainly suspect that a slippery slope is at work in the protean definitions of suicide, assisted suicide and euthanasia.

For example, the discussion too easily slides from open and conscious suicide [fine with me], to the removal of the extreme elderly, Alzheimer's patients, etc., and from one's own volition to necessity (as perceived by others) [not fine with me].

Is this your only rationale ? That anybody against 'x' is a Papist puppet ? Try other arguments :)

Joe

Loudmouth,

May I suggest you study up on places where LVE and MAS exists before you run off on your high horse with imaginings of what might happen?

You appear to have the gene that humans are bad people just waiting to kill granny, the same as the warped view held by religions about original sin.

You can have an opinion about objection to these compassionate types of legislation but you are pitting yourself against an informed 80% of the population who want it. You will not prevent it happening and you will not be required to facilitate yourself by benefiting by it if you are ever in the unfortunate position that a minority of people find themselves in.

And if you read back on my post you will see that I said, “It is understandable that some people are sucked into this non-reason for not having legal voluntary euthanasia”. Notice I said some.

I didn’t say all.

David

This is an argument that keeps going around in circles. Why? Because the answer is always the same.

A free vote means nothing and we all know it. So any legislation in any forum, anywhere, will end up with the same answer. The Catholic grandstanders, trying to curry favour with the Georgie Pell brigade of mindless sheep will trumpet loud and clear that they will not be discarding their religious beliefs, ingrained since three year old, to vote for a humane piece of legislation. Score = 10 points from George, a supporting comment from the pulpit, ergo, next election is safe.

This takes care of most of the opposition front bench with the failed priest Abbott leading the way. His ideas on free thinking Catholicicm are well known. There is no such thing.

The Greens, generally progressive so most of the votes there.

Labor is hard to tell with right wingers, left wingers, centre-left, centre-right, Zionists supporters with Gillard riding shotgun over Danby, Emerson and others and backbench also-rans watching their backs, trying desperately not to offend anyone, anywhere.
They will abstain. Safer that way.

As for the Independents, you won't hear a word because it is not a party vote, so you won't have a division, so they won't be important in the result. Now that is a blessing, indeed.

Don't be dismayed. Other countries have worse problems than us. In the US both the Senate and the Congress defer to Israel and its overt agents, AIPAC, affectionately known as the "off-site Congress" and covert operatives, under every rock before they can make any decision, so a 'free vote', is not part of the newly revised Constitution any more per courtesy of the Bush/Cheney Amendments.

So while so many of us applaud the agitators for asking for a free vote on this important subject, we are not mature enough in Australia to give it the value it deserves. We'll wait until the US shows us the way, as with everything else we do.

hey Bronwyn...I'm trying to get an answer from you please about something.

When we disagree....do you 'hate' me ?

Hi Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc.,

I suppose a bit of ad hominem never hurt anybody, I can certainly take it. However, apart from your slagging of my genes, and your attempt to browbeat me with your '80 % of the entire world's population', do you actually have anything else ?

No, I don't believe that all 'humans are bad people just waiting to kill granny', but then again, there ARE laws against murder - and if people were all so angelic, as in your heaven, Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc., we wouldn't need laws against that either, would we ? Call me a sceptic :)

As for numbers: in Egypt, 92 % of the population believes that women should be stoned to death for adultery. Whose side would you be on, Atheist Foundation of Australia Inc. ?

Joe