Comments on: Media Release: Tasmanian Parliament should say ‘no’ to assisted suicide push http://michaelferguson.com/2009/05/tasmanian-parliament-should-say-no-to-assisted-suicide-push/ Liberal member for Bass Wed, 28 Jul 2010 09:34:33 +1000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: Michael http://michaelferguson.com/2009/05/tasmanian-parliament-should-say-no-to-assisted-suicide-push/comment-page-1/#comment-360 Michael Tue, 25 Aug 2009 01:12:08 +0000 http://michaelferguson.com/?p=440#comment-360 Yesterday the peak organisations representing doctors and nursing homes urged the parliamentary committee which is examining the (deceptively misnamed) Dying with Dignity Bill to reject the bill. The main reason given by the AMA is the bill would "poison the doctor-patient relationship", creating fear and distrust. He said palliative care was becoming more effective in minimising suffering. The Royal College of Nursing gave evidence euthanasia could lead to exploitation of older Tasmanians by relatives looking to gain financially. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/25/2665886.htm Aged care providers have also voiced strong opposition to the bill. Chairman Ray Groom told the committee the bill is bad public policy which endangers the weakest and most vulnerable and puts enormous pressure on health care workers. He said resources should instead be put into improving palliative care services. http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/24/2664946.htm Yesterday the peak organisations representing doctors and nursing homes urged the parliamentary committee which is examining the (deceptively misnamed) Dying with Dignity Bill to reject the bill. The main reason given by the AMA is the bill would “poison the doctor-patient relationship”, creating fear and distrust.

He said palliative care was becoming more effective in minimising suffering.

The Royal College of Nursing gave evidence euthanasia could lead to exploitation of older Tasmanians by relatives looking to gain financially.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/25/2665886.htm

Aged care providers have also voiced strong opposition to the bill.

Chairman Ray Groom told the committee the bill is bad public policy which endangers the weakest and most vulnerable and puts enormous pressure on health care workers.

He said resources should instead be put into improving palliative care services.

http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/08/24/2664946.htm

]]> By: Michael http://michaelferguson.com/2009/05/tasmanian-parliament-should-say-no-to-assisted-suicide-push/comment-page-1/#comment-335 Michael Fri, 10 Jul 2009 12:47:51 +0000 http://michaelferguson.com/?p=440#comment-335 G'day John, It's a great attack line to dismiss someone as "...you do not understand...". But it certainly doesn't make your case mate. I think if you take the time to contemplate the tone i struck in my very short article you will see that I acknowledge that this isn't a 0 or 1 argument. And I for one do hope and pray that i never find myself wishing myself away. Noone is saying that there aren't any individual very compelling cases where any kind person would want to help. That's not the point. The point is that McKim's bill changes the current protection enjoyed (and taken for granted) by every Tasmanian that noone else is entitled to end their life. To start meddling with that protection opens the way for massive abuses of people's dignity. Imagine feeling that opting for assisted suicide is the 'right thing to do' to relieve stress on family. And how will we maintain the line to our young people that suicide isn't ever ok? They are smart enough to see through that double standard. It's not a long stretch for a young person to see that having a terminal illness can be equated to being very despairing about life for other reasons. In my teaching career, I lost several students and I'll never forget them. This isn't an easy issue. So why is Nick McKim so opposed to a proper parliamentary enquiry into the matter? I think that is a bad sign. And finally Jon, I will not back off from my comment that it is quite disgusting for McKim to hijack palliative care week with this mis-named 'dying with dignity' bill. Dying is a tragic but unavoidable part of life for every human being. Quality and properly-resourced palliative care is a far better way to show love, care and upholding the true and unique dignity of a fellow traveller. It isn't about articially lengthening or shortening a life - it's about care, comfort, pain management and providing time for family to say goodbye. Any nurse or doctor will tell you that 'dying with dignity' has always referred to the special and unique provision of care called palliative care. Like I said, imperfect. But the alternative is a political win for some at the shameful expense of protection for the vulnerable and a precedent for future broadening of suicide options. No, we can't. Michael G’day John,
It’s a great attack line to dismiss someone as “…you do not understand…”. But it certainly doesn’t make your case mate. I think if you take the time to contemplate the tone i struck in my very short article you will see that I acknowledge that this isn’t a 0 or 1 argument. And I for one do hope and pray that i never find myself wishing myself away. Noone is saying that there aren’t any individual very compelling cases where any kind person would want to help.
That’s not the point.
The point is that McKim’s bill changes the current protection enjoyed (and taken for granted) by every Tasmanian that noone else is entitled to end their life.
To start meddling with that protection opens the way for massive abuses of people’s dignity. Imagine feeling that opting for assisted suicide is the ‘right thing to do’ to relieve stress on family.
And how will we maintain the line to our young people that suicide isn’t ever ok? They are smart enough to see through that double standard. It’s not a long stretch for a young person to see that having a terminal illness can be equated to being very despairing about life for other reasons. In my teaching career, I lost several students and I’ll never forget them.
This isn’t an easy issue. So why is Nick McKim so opposed to a proper parliamentary enquiry into the matter? I think that is a bad sign.
And finally Jon, I will not back off from my comment that it is quite disgusting for McKim to hijack palliative care week with this mis-named ‘dying with dignity’ bill. Dying is a tragic but unavoidable part of life for every human being. Quality and properly-resourced palliative care is a far better way to show love, care and upholding the true and unique dignity of a fellow traveller. It isn’t about articially lengthening or shortening a life – it’s about care, comfort, pain management and providing time for family to say goodbye. Any nurse or doctor will tell you that ‘dying with dignity’ has always referred to the special and unique provision of care called palliative care.
Like I said, imperfect. But the alternative is a political win for some at the shameful expense of protection for the vulnerable and a precedent for future broadening of suicide options.

No, we can’t.

Michael

]]> By: Jon Ayling http://michaelferguson.com/2009/05/tasmanian-parliament-should-say-no-to-assisted-suicide-push/comment-page-1/#comment-330 Jon Ayling Sat, 04 Jul 2009 23:55:04 +0000 http://michaelferguson.com/?p=440#comment-330 Michael, You have not actually addressed the specific reason for the call for assisted euthanasia by Nick McKim. Sadly, for some palliative care patients, there remains no medication that can provide analgesia for unbearable pain. In the latter stages of terminal illness, some individuals have such a high receptor site tolerance to even the more powerful synthetic opiates, that nothing can ease their suffering. To not assist these people by providing euthanasia is nothing less than an act of cruelty. If anything has been 'highjacked', it is Nick McKim's call for human compassion where it is most needed. Whitewashing this carefully worded bill with hackneyed calls for the need to preserve human 'dignity' and the 'sanctity' of life, shows that you do not understand the legal prescriptive conditions in the bill that are necessary for euthanasia to be given consideration. regards Jon Ayling Michael,

You have not actually addressed the specific reason for the call for assisted euthanasia by Nick McKim. Sadly, for some palliative care patients, there remains no medication that can provide analgesia for unbearable pain. In the latter stages of terminal illness, some individuals have such a high receptor site tolerance to even the more powerful synthetic opiates, that nothing can ease their suffering. To not assist these people by providing euthanasia is nothing less than an act of cruelty. If anything has been ‘highjacked’, it is Nick McKim’s call for human compassion where it is most needed. Whitewashing this carefully worded bill with hackneyed calls for the need to preserve human ‘dignity’ and the ’sanctity’ of life, shows that you do not understand the legal prescriptive conditions in the bill that are necessary for euthanasia to be given consideration.

regards
Jon Ayling

]]> By: Andrew Nikolic http://michaelferguson.com/2009/05/tasmanian-parliament-should-say-no-to-assisted-suicide-push/comment-page-1/#comment-307 Andrew Nikolic Tue, 26 May 2009 21:33:21 +0000 http://michaelferguson.com/?p=440#comment-307 Michael, Your characterisation of 'dignity' is right on the money. Having observed two family members receive outstanding care in the last few years of their life, the value of professional palliative services, effective pain management and shared decision-making with family cannot be underestimated. It's a shame that efforts to promote palliative care this week have been gate-crashed by the Greens ill-time proposal. Andrew Nikolic Michael,

Your characterisation of ‘dignity’ is right on the money. Having observed two family members receive outstanding care in the last few years of their life, the value of professional palliative services, effective pain management and shared decision-making with family cannot be underestimated. It’s a shame that efforts to promote palliative care this week have been gate-crashed by the Greens ill-time proposal.

Andrew Nikolic

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