Time to clean up euthanasia farce, says ex-minister

LAWS are needed desperately to stop a euthanasia farce leaving up to 30 per cent of Australian deaths assisted without protection for families or doctors, according to a Geelong dying-with-dignity campaigner.
Rod Mackenzie, a former State Government minister, said doctors assisting the terminally ill to die risked manslaughter charges.
He called for change following a Bellbrae widow’s harrowing account in the Independent of her husband Dieter’s “excruciating’’ death last year to cancer.
June Plate said a “mangy dog or horse would be given relief” in the situation of her husband, Dieter, a former CSIRO scientist. She called for euthanasia laws in cases with “absolutely no hope”.
Mr Mackenzie said 30 per cent of all Australian deaths were the result of decisions by families and doctors but only four per cent were direct responses to patients’ requests.
“A lot of doctors are doing the right thing, the humane thing, at the request of the family,” he said.
“But if another member of the family came in late and complained, the doctor could be on manslaughter charges. Legislation is needed as protection for the doctor so they don’t have to do it under cover.”
Mr Mackenzie said Australia had a higher rate of intentional life termination than The Netherlands, where euthanasia laws existed but without legal backing.
“The time has come to end this farce,”’ he said.