Death with Dignity Bill defeat sad day for democracy, says society

11.45am

Democracy failed New Zealanders last night when a vote on the Death with Dignity bill was lost in Parliament, Voluntary Euthanasia Society vice president Lindsay Hunter said today.

The bill had proposed a binding referendum be held on whether terminally ill people should be allowed to end their lives.

"All of the MPs who voted against it knew what the New Zealand conscience was and yet last night they ignored it, and that has to be a sad day in a democracy," Mr Hunter told NZPA.

New Zealand First MP Peter Brown's bill was defeated by 60 to 57 votes with one abstention, preventing it going to a select committee for consideration.

Mr Hunter felt that many polls over recent years showed New Zealanders were ready to address the euthanasia issue and should have been given a chance to do so in a referendum.

"It's probably an understatement to say we were disappointed that the prejudice of the MPs wouldn't let us go forward to a public debate on what is, as (Wairarapa MP) Georgina Beyer said, a hugely profound issue which New Zealand is ready to think about."

Mr Hunter said he felt MPs had voted on their own conscience rather than what they thought the people's conscience was.

He said the bill should have gone to a select committee so the bill could be improved and better commented on and a referendum held.

"Because the issue is so profound and because Parliament is only our representatives, on an issue of that sort... it should have gone to the people.

"I am sad today. I am sad for those people who the hospice movement can't help."

However, New Zealand Medical Association (NZMA) chairwoman Tricia Briscoe said the public had their say via submissions on the bill and the NZMA was very pleased with the result.

"It reflects the importance in our society of respect for human life...politicians have an obligation to lead the country."

She said New Zealanders already had many rights and legal precedents by which patients were able to avoid inappropriate interventions.

"Patients are able to refuse treatments... and we have good palliative care available so that patients can have adequate pain relief treatment -- even if that pain relief treatment could or will shorten life."

Dr Briscoe said the NZMA was against the principle of euthanasia.

"The NZMA and medical organisations throughout the world... consider this unethical for doctors to participate in because it is counter to our caring relationship with our patients."

She said in the Netherlands where euthanasia was legal and had very strict controls these had relaxed with time.

"There is good evidence from overseas, including the Netherlands, to show that the boundaries are being stretched and people are being killed without their request."

Dr Briscoe said countries where euthanasia was allowed had poorer access to palliative care.

"That's where we should be putting our resources now to ensure every patient and every doctor in New Zealand has good access to palliative care specialists."

- NZPA