28 April 2021
Current and former politicians from opposing parties gathered on the steps of Parliament this week to urge for the passing of the Voluntary Assisted Dying (VAD) bill.
The bill, introduced by Labor’s Kyam Maher and Susan Close, is set to be voted on by the state’s Upper House next week – the 17th attempt to legalise voluntary euthanasia in this state since 1995.
On Tuesday morning Mr Maher and Ms Close joined former Democrats Leader Sandra Kanck, Labor MP John Quirke, former Liberal MP Duncan McFetridge, former Labor MP Steph Key and Greens MP Mark Parnell in a calling for the passage of the bill, InDaily and The Advertiser report.
They were also joined by Lyn Such, the wife of former Independent MP Bob Such, who died from a brain tumour in 2014 at the age of 70. Mr Such made eight attempts to legalise euthanasia during his time in Parliament.
The ANMF (SA Branch) has publicly expressed its strong support for the bill. We have been actively involved in the VAD debate, with the overwhelming support of the majority of our members, for more than five years.
The Advertiser too has thrown its weight behind the VAD bill, with an editorial today declaring
“it is time to give South Australians the right to die with dignity”.
“Our leaders must find the courage and compassion to listen to the overwhelming majority of South Australians,’’ The Advertiser said.
“We have Liberal, Labor, Greens, Democrats here today and I think that’s a show of support for the parliament that this really crosses party lines as an exceptionally important issue,” Mr Maher was quoted by InDaily.
He said he believed his Voluntary Assisted Dying Bill was the best hope yet of passing euthanasia laws in South Australia, with the most “safeguards”.
“We’ve seen a voluntary assisted dying scheme operate in Victoria now for 18 months. Many of the concerns that people had about a scheme haven’t come to fruition and it’s operated exceptionally well in Victoria for 18 months now,” he said.
Mr Maher also told InDaily that opinion polls showed more than 80 per cent of South Australians supported voluntary euthanasia.
“The ability to give a person the right to die with the dignity in which they led their lives is exceptionally important,” he said.
The first attempt to get euthanasia laws through Parliament was in 1995 with a bill introduced by former Labor MP John Quirke.
“I’d seen people who suffered – palliative care just couldn’t help them with it,” Mr Quirke told InDaily.
“I’ve had relatives, my own father, die in circumstances that I think were really not what you want a loved one to go through.’’
“For me it was an issue that I thought we should have a community debate about. There was overwhelming support in the community… but that didn’t reflect unfortunately into a parliamentary vote.”
Former Liberal MP Duncan McFetridge said: “I just hope that every MP in here does what they are elected to do and that is represent their constituents who strongly support this bill”.
Former Labor MP Steph Key told InDaily: “Despite the fact the majority of people out there in South Australia support the choice of assisted dying and voluntary euthanasia, the members of parliament have got cold at the last minute and some of them have said they would support legislation but in the end haven’t been courageous enough to do that.
“My message is to current members of parliament, please listen to what the community has said, what the community view is and give people the choice… of being able to die in dignity.
“It’s about time people got a bit courageous and actually listened to what the community is saying.”
Lyn Such said: “I believe there is no slippery slope. It’s a very deeply, personal, intimate stage of your life and it’s really nobody’s business.
“It would be another great thing for South Australia. It’s meant to be. It’s the next step. It should be all about compassion,’’ she told InDaily.
Greens MLC Mark Parnell said: “South Australians have shown overwhelming support for compassionate law reform that allows those who are suffering intolerably from incurable and terminal conditions to end their lives with dignity”.
“Elected representatives should listen to the community and enact these important reforms,” he said.
If you are in support of the proposed VAD legislation, please contact your MP to tell them how you feel.