Let's be clear about the Voice for Life organisation. They are the anti-abortion lobby group and their bias is firmly set in their religious beliefs. They are totally without compassion orrespect for those of us who do not belong to their jaundiced organisations, or hold other beliefs.
Jaunay cherry-picks his "facts" to denigrate Dr R Jonquiere and the very big issue of end-of-life choices. He repeatedly refers to assisted dying on request as "killing".
Dr Jonquiere explained the quite dreadful circumstances, under which he complied with patients' requests to help them. He said it is quite traumatic for a doctor to take this step for their patients but it is the final step in compassionate palliative care.
Jaunay, in quoting the Hippocratic Oath as stating doctors "must do no harm", cannot recognise that treatment extending the unbearable suffering of a dying person, can itself be harmful.
He then sweepingly says "What is missing in our society is adequate care and compassion."
Our society is outstanding in its care and compassion for the less fortunate. Volunteers in NZ give tens of thousands of hours in support and care of those in need.
