Most reasonable people would agree that the right to die is as valid as any other right to choose what we do with our own bodies even if there is no historical precedent as the author claims.

That given, the only issue I can see with euthanasia is how it will be implemented and monitored and the potential negative impact on funding for good quality life-extending palliative care and mental health services. Once those issues are sorted out and laws in place to protect patients then the only issues remaining are philosophical ones. This issue is similar to same sex unions, where one group of people attempt to force their own views on another based on their own version of what is right or wrong. While we are all guilty of that to varying degrees, the concept of 'harm' would have to play a role in decision making where there are opposing moral and ethical considerations.

The author argues that a doctor's role is to preserve and prolong life not to terminate it. Could it be suggested that a doctor's role also encompasses the concept of 'first do no harm'. If forcing a terminal patient to live against their will whose life has lost all 'quality' is preserving life always the ultimate aim even if 'harm' is the result? Doctors already make those choices by upping morphine to control pain knowing that the dose is terminal. Euthanasing a life should of course be voluntary to protect doctor's who might have moral or religius objections.

As another poster said we should think about how 'life' is defined before deciding whether to prolong it. Is life only determined by a beating heart?

One of the biggest problems against Voluntary Euthanasia are the religious people, life is sacred they cry and God must end it at the appropriate time, but are quite happy to send young men and women off to be killed in unjust wars.
I do not believe in Gods,Godesses,Fairies etc, therefore I should have the right to end my untold suffering and indignity when I feel I have had enough of pain, which will never be relieved until "God" decides it is time for me to go, I don't want to wait for an untrue belief system where there is no proof of any such things as Gods, but I do respect your decision to suffer pain and indignity until the imaginary "God" calls it a day for you.
I must have that right to end my suffering the same as you have the right to not end your suffering

Ojnab

Reading Dr Palmer's article I understand why most Presbyterians joined with the Methodists to become the Uniting Church in Australia. Most Australian Presbyterians were brought up to be independent and look after their own - so why would they take kindly to an outside influence telling them how to run their lives.

My mother and my father's brother were dying at the same time. My mother's hospital nurses wouldn't allow talk of dying - but my uncle, still in his own home, briefed me on living wills, refusing forcible feeding on my mothers behalf. Fortunately for mum and me, her desire to die prevailed because the religious hospital ignored the written enduring medical power of attorney invested in the youngest child, who can't put down a sick cat, and listened to the wishes of the oldest child.

I am sure most members of Exit International are over 60 and have lived long enough lives and had the experience of watching their parents become sick, frail and die. They know from their own experience that there is nothing more lonely than being surrounded by other old people in a nursing home watching Channel 9 while you wait for lunch.

Levels of depression amongst the elderly and dying are probably much higher than the levels of depression found in university students.

I have seen other loved ones filled up with morphine in their final days of life and I am sure that a grieving relative could argue the toss making the prescribing doctor very vulnerable to prosecution. I would like to see the Hartland Bill passed to provide boundaries of acceptable behaviour that reflect the community interests.

Pericles

Your select parts of history might ease the conscience of many who reject the Saviour's forgiveness but it makes little sense. Yes the Catholic church has been corrupt and done many horendeous things in the past in the name of God. Unfortunately they clearly ignored Christ and showed they had no real knowledge of Him. What many ignore is that more unborn babies have been murdered than the total number of all others killed in wars throughout history (as a direct result of secular thinking). Added to this the number killed by Marxism (at the heart of secular humanism) far outweigh the horrible crimes committed by Catholics and others calling themselves 'Christians'.

"The capacity to worship a supernatural deity does not confer special insights into morality".

That line should be included in every national anthem and constitution and said aloud as part of the Australian naturalisation ceremony.

Thanks Sancho. I do, of course, completely agree!