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Dear NathanJ,

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You conclude :

« … suicide and euthanasia, simply don't provide answers to many health conditions or address future predictions, like legal action »
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That’s true, Nathan, but suicide and euthanasia are not designed to “provide answers” to health conditions. Their object is to terminate an individual’s life.

People commit suicide for various personal reasons. Many may be in perfectly good health. Some of them are quite young. According to the most recent statistics, in 2014, suicide was the leading cause of death of children between 5 and 17 years of age in Australia.

Those who benefit from euthanasia in our major hospitals are terminally ill, suffering from an incurable disease in its final stages. So-called “passive” euthanasia is the act of allowing the patient to die peacefully to avoid further suffering. Whereas “active” euthanasia is provoking the end or life (by administering drugs) for the same purpose.

Life and death are two sides of the same coin as there is no life without death and now death without life. I consider that both are fundamental human rights. Everybody has the right to decide if he wishes to live or die. Nobody should have the right to decide for him unless he specifically authorises somebody to do so if circumstances are such that he is unable to do so himself.

It is important that this fundamental human right is respected. It is the duty of society to ensure that it is. That is where the law, justice, coroners and lawyers etc. become involved.

Perhaps you might like to check-out the national statistics relating to suicide on the following link :

http://www.abs.gov.au/ausstats/abs@.nsf/Lookup/by%20Subject/3303.0~2014~Main%20Features~Method%20of%20Intentional%20self-harm~10053

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'Why would he do this to us?'

97.3FM presenter Robin Bailey says the fallout from her husband's suicide 12 months ago has been "catastrophic". September 1st, 2015

http://www.smh.com.au/video/video-news/video-qld-news/why-would-he-do-this-to-us-20150901-42061

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Dear leoj,

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Thanks for that interesting testimony.

It just goes to show you that you can live beside somebody for a good part of your life and you think you know them inside out, but you don’t.

My brother’s wife walked out on him and the kids without any warning the day after their elder daughter’s 18th birthday. He had no idea there was a problem. They lived on the Darling Downs in Queensland. My brother had to bring up the kids alone.

Some years later, a lawyer friend of mine in Sydney came home after work one evening and found the house completely empty. No wife, no kids and not a single thing in the house, no furniture, nothing. He had to sit on the floor. He was absolutely flabbergasted. He had had no warning there was anything wrong.

He managed to catch up with the kids some years later but never saw his wife again.

97.3FM presenter Robin Bailey’s testimony reminds me of my mother-in-law. On returning to Paris (where I live) after a weekend in the country, she told my wife and I that she was worried sick that we might have an accident driving back on the autoroute. I was quite touched by her concern. Then she exclaimed: “What on earth would happen to me if you both got killed ? Have you ever thought of that ?” She was a widow and in her 80s at the time and my wife was her only child. I thought she was worried about us.

I had lunch with an old colleague from work here in Paris just before Christmas and he told me sadly that he lost his wife in July. He said when he woke up in the morning he found his wife sitting in the car parked in the garden. She was dead. That’s all he said and by the look on his face I knew I shouldn’t ask any questions. I didn’t and he didn’t offer any explanations. We talked about something else.

Human nature is complex.

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Banjo Paterson,

Firstly you did not answer my point re future predictions. This includes legal action and the pressures of Coroner's investigations. Such Coroner inquests are usually critical towards those in the medical sector, to send a message that faults within the medical sector are not acceptable.

Of course these people are usually not Doctors or people with medical experience, so they can easily make such comments, (or essentially be armchair critics) without realising the working hours and responsibility those in the medical sector take on.

In terms of legal action or matters, some doctors and medical specialists no longer provide services, with investigations needed (to get change in place) to prevent such action.

"Legal proceedings have been commenced or recommended against neurologists whose patients have been involved in motor vehicle accidents." (re recommendations given on drivers licence approval).

http://www.epilepsy-society.org.au/resources/driving-guidelines.asp

Further movements, will likely lead to those in the medical sector potentially walk away, from assisting patients in some areas.

This is a serious issue as at present, as I would argue those who work in the medical sector are some of the most respected individuals in Australia - and this must be protected. I take this view, (very strongly) as I have dealt with the best medical and health experts in Australia at major hospitals.

Legislation for euthanasia in 2016 in South Australia, was voted down, via a casting vote in the lower house by the Speaker Michael Atkinson. I listened to interviews from members of parliament on ABC radio, who were putting forward bills to see the matter progress further. Being a conscience vote, I heard the answers provided to questions and they were very poor which reflected the poor quality of the legislation.

Finally, if matters involving any type of assisted suicide or euthanasia are a human right, a person can undertake that right themselves. Such movements forced onto doctors, nurses, specialists and others though working in the medical sector, seeing a strong reputation and ability to provide a service impacted upon, is not a human right, as it is something forced onto these individuals via legislation.

Banjo Paterson,

Thanks for the comments and examples.

I don't know what the answer is.

However I would not thank anyone for keeping me alive if I was completely paralysed, for example.

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Dear NathanJ,

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Sorry, I'm a bit tied up right now. I'll try to get back to you tomorrow.

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