THE debate about voluntary assisted dying is inching along in state Parliament, and a panel of experts in Geelong discussed the ethics of the issue last week.<\/p>\n
The panel discussion at the St Mary\u2019s Library and Research Centre on Friday was part of Barwon Health and Deakin University\u2019s Research Week series of events.<\/p>\n
The bill passed the Lower House of Parliament in October following a conscience vote, but protracted argument about the bill\u2019s clauses means it is making slow progress in the Upper House.<\/p>\n
Professor Michael Ashby, director of palliative care at the Tasmania Health Service said the Victorian model for the bill was based on similar laws on the west coast of the United States, but understood why people were baffled by the complexity of the process, which includes assessment by two independent doctors.<\/p>\n
\u201cAs a citizen of Geelong, I\u2019d have more chance of getting a driver\u2019s licence in Tokyo than getting through this.\u201d<\/p>\n
He said attitudes on euthanasia were hardened.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a fault line in our society, make no mistake about that, and it\u2019s not going to be resolved.\u201d<\/p>\n
Monash Bioethics Centre deputy director Associate Professor Justin Oakley said the medical profession had to grapple with the idea of a doctor being both a healer and a killer.<\/p>\n
\u201cA \u2018good death\u2019 can mean a whole lot of different things.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rebecca Bartel from Deakin\u2019s Institute for Healthcare Transformation said efforts such as the \u201cDeath over Dinner\u201d initiative had found the community at large \u201cwere not very good at having a conversation about death and dying\u201d.<\/p>\n
\u201c80 per cent of Australians want to die at home but only 14 per cent get the opportunity.\u201d<\/p>\n
Barwon Health consumer representative Justine Martin, who has been diagnosed with multiple sclerosis as well as many other illnesses, said her experience with chronic illness and pain proved the need for the bill.<\/p>\n
\u201cHad I had a choice in any of these things? No. The only choice I have is the way I go.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m selfish, I\u2019ll fight all the way \u2013 I just want a choice.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE debate about voluntary assisted dying is inching along in state Parliament, and a panel of experts in Geelong discussed the ethics of the issue last week. The panel discussion at the St Mary\u2019s Library and Research Centre on Friday was part of Barwon Health and Deakin University\u2019s Research Week series of events. The bill […]<\/p>\n