Euthanasia campaigner already wants criteria expanded
Kiwi convicted of mother’s death hopes for pardon if euthanasia referendum passes
TVNZ One News 13 October 2020
Family First Comment: Lawyer Grant Illingworth said there was nothing to protect vulnerable people being bullied. “The referendum is not about compassion and not about choice. It’s about a set of rules that have been enacted by Parliament and the public of New Zealand are being asked to vote on that set of rules.” He said he had never been part of any campaign before and did not plan on being involved in future ones. “This is an important issue because it raises questions of life and death for very, very vulnerable people,”
Davison’s support for change comes as many lawyers continue to have issues with the act and urge a “no” vote.
Under the act, anyone asking for assisted dying has to fulfil several criteria.
But Davison says those conditions should be expanded to include others who are not terminally ill.
“To me it is very good, it’s a very good start,” he said.
“But not included in this, people with irrecoverable illnesses like motor neuron disease and quadriplegics.”
He said they too should be given an option of assisted death “should they want it”.
Senior lawyer Grant Illingworth QC told 1 NEWS those comments are “a red flag” and the act is already not fit for purpose.
“The set of rules that have been prepared for this issue are shoddy. They have not been drafted to the required standard and they do not do the job that we need them to do,” he told 1 NEWS.
Illingworth said a group of almost 200 other lawyers is opposed.
“The biggest mistake that’s being made at the moment is that people are voting on the question of compassion and choice instead of voting on the particular set of rules that we’re being asked to vote about.”
There was nothing to protect vulnerable people being bullied, he said
READ MORE: https://www.tvnz.co.nz/one-news/new-zealand/kiwi-convicted-mothers-death-hopes-pardon-if-euthanasia-referendum-passes
