Quoting what the vast majority of people believe is a nonsense. If that was the case every Australian against the death penalty in Indonesia should shut their mouth as most Indonesians believe in it. Doing people in to collect an early inheritance is not to far from the truth. If you don't believe that, just look how easy we slaughter the unborn for convenience.

I have seen a very close family friend
suffer in great pain for several months
before she passed away. She had lost her
functional and mental independence and her
family had to deal with the agony of her
vegetation and pain. I could not understand
why she could not be allowed to die in peace
and dignity. I am for a Referendum on euthanasia.
By all means we should have safeguards, however
why should we deal with animals in a more humane
way than we do with human beings. Animals - when
there is no hope - and they are in great pain
are put out of their misery - why can't we do the
same for human beings who are terminally ill and
have no hope of recovery - why prolong their
suffering?

I'm not against voluntary Euthanasia, or having a referendum on it!
And while some of you can find cases of intolerable pain; and I've experienced plenty of it first hand!

I've know other cases where efficacious medication, destroyed the pain and allowed the victim a worthwhile extension on their expected term!

Voluntary Euthanasia, is for the suffer, not the distressed, (allegedly) rallies looking on and wanting their (oh isn't it awful) personal distress over.

And yes some of it can be nasty, as with projectile vomiting/smelly incontinence, and the best possible reason for withholding all food and water.

Things like cracked lips can be remediated with a simple moisturizing cream/a moist cloth; and applied by GENUINELY caring rallies.

And those of us who believe in karma, don't want to be forced to come back and do the whole stinking lot over!

The important thing and missed by some, is that there's no suffering at the end and the passing calm; and or, that some relatively healthy person just wants to take their own life, but lacks the bottle!

Remember for a referendum to pass it must be supported by a two thirds majority and the majority of the states!

And there could be political repercussions for the pollies that support it, as all you need to change an election result is a minority all voting with their feet, as it were.

What I'm against is compelling any physician to cooperate if that then conflicts with either his/her conscience or vows; which by the way, are almost the most important promises we can make, given they're are supposed to decide how we conduct ourselves for the balance of our days!

And no amount of personal attacks or playing the man/shooting the messenger, will ever change that!

I mean there are just too many way to bring about a premature termination now and plenty of compassionate doctors only too willing to ease their patients out now, without legislating it!

Albeit, I've no objection to decriminalizing what already occurs now, and just to minimize the end of days pain!
Rhrosty.

*What I'm against is compelling any physician to cooperate if that then conflicts with either his/her conscience or vows;*

No need at all. There are plenty of other physicians who are prepared to undertake the service, as they realise that what we are doing is little more than human torture, in many cases. Take a look at how the Swiss *Exit* system functions and was set up. It is distinct from the international organisation with the same name, by the way. It works just fine. A physician actually started it and the whole thing is now funded by annual membership.

Rhrosty and runner continue to scaremonger and they ignore the facts explained by other contributors to this vital debate.

The model that many VE campaigners support is like that in Oregon where the patient accessing medical assistance to die self-administers the lethal dose, and doctors are only involved in the few cases where a patient is physically incapable of taking the medication. Many doctors are willing to prescribe a lethal medication to provide this last compassionate care to suffering patients, and no doctors are forced to prescribe or administer a lethal dose against their conscience.

If people like Rhrosty and runner don't want medical assistance in dying, then they simply don't choose it! They have nothing to fear, so why their fierce opposition to allowing other people the right to choose for themselves?

runner demonstrates poor logic when writing: "Quoting what the vast majority of people believe is a nonsense". The attitudes of the vast majority are precisely what Democracy is all about?!

runner's poor logic continues when writing: "Doing people in to collect an early inheritance is not to [sic] far from the truth. If you don't believe that, just look how easy we slaughter the unborn for convenience." The fact is that patients will have to repeatedly request VE for themselves, after full consultation with at least two doctors, one of whom is a specialist in the disease that the patient is suffering from.

I have yet to read one rational argument against Medical Assistance in Dying that cannot be overcome by carefully drafted legislation.

It is the minority of people with attitudes like Rhrosty and runner who are preventing Australians from accessing the right to choose a peaceful death if necessary. How dare they presume to dictate to the majority of us how we should end our days? It is none of their business!

Bring on a National Referendum and settle this matter once and for all!