Submission to the Western Australia Parliament VAD inquiry

Download a full copy of the submission PDF.

Table of Contents

Terms of reference. p5

Definitions. 6

Statement of Barbara Roberts, former Governor of Orergon. 7

Part A: Introduction. 8
  A critical principle. 8
  Decision-making biases to be avoided. 8
  Potential bias 1: Strong emotional language diminishes critical faculties. 8
  Potential bias 2: Repetition doesn’t make a falsehood true. 8
  Potential bias 3: Use of ‘authorities’ as undeserved ‘evidence’ cues. 8
  Assisted dying law reform is necessary. 9
  Consequences of denying lawful assisted dying choice. 10
  Overmedicalisation and institutionalisation of death. 12
  Choice to die can be rational 13
  Regulation of existing underground practice. 14

Part B: Overwhelming support. 16
  Australian voter attitudes by demographic. 16
  Assisted dying a major issue for voters. 20
  More supporters than opponents think reform important. 20
  Voters will punish opposing MPs more. 20
  Not just a silver-hair issue. 21
  Summary of Australian public attitudes. 22
  Australian health professional opinion.. 23
  AMA opposed stance indefensible. 23
  RACGP supportive stance. 23
  Nurses & Midwives’ Federation supportive stance. 23
  Australian Psychological Society supportive stance. 24

Part C: Opposing arguments critiqued. 25
  Time to name up filibustering for what it is. 25
  Hippocratic Oath fictions. 25
  ‘First do no harm’ fails in the real world. 26
  Assisted dying is not about ‘saving money’. 27
  Assisted dying is consistent with the right to life. 28
  Palliative care availability improves. 28
  Trust in doctors remains high. 28
  Ample evidence against ‘slippery slope’ theories. 30
  Failure 1: Rhetorical sham. 30
  Failure 2: Unsupported by overseas evidence. 32
  Failure 3: Unsupported by domestic evidence. 33
  Opposing world views can be concurrently accommodated. 35

Part D: Correcting misinformation about lawful jurisdictions. 37
  Dr Els Borst remains proud of euthanasia law reform. 37
  Dutch elderly happy with nursing homes. 38
  Non-voluntary euthanasia rates fall, not rise. 39
  No suicide contagion. 42
  Not in Oregon. 42
  Not in Switzerland. 45
  Not in the Netherlands. 46
  Not in Belgium. 48
  Belgian nurses are like anywhere else. 49
  Dutch happy to go to hospital 51
  Groningen Protocol a wise policy. 52
  Theo Boer always an assisted dying law sceptic. 52
  Women are not vulnerable to voluntary euthanasia laws. 53
  Victorian MP publishes extensive misinformation..\ 54
  Opponents admit no slippery slope ‘cause and effect’. 54

Part E: Potential models of assisted dying law reform. 56
  Oregon/Washington model. 56
  Benelux model. 56
  Swiss model. 57
  Options for Western Australia. 58

Conclusion. 59

Statement of Ginny Burdick, Acting Senate President, Parliament of Oregon. 60

Summary of recommendations. 61

References. 62

 

Keywords: 

Western Australia | Analysis | Legislative reform

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