Nitschke says Exit NZ needed because of level of interest

Australian euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke said today a New Zealand chapter of his organisation had become necessary because of the number of inquiries he had received.

Exit New Zealand, based on Dr Nitschke's Exit Australia, was formally set up yesterday.

Its principal is Lesley Martin, the Wanganui women who faces a charge of attempting to murder her terminally ill mother in 1999.

The establishing of Exit NZ was timed to coincide with New Zealand First MP Peter Brown's Death with Dignity Bill, which is on the parliamentary agenda today.

Dr Nitschke, who last visited New Zealand in April, said it seemed "sensible" to set up Exit NZ.

"We have got quite a few people from New Zealand who have made contact and have become members," he told Newstalk ZB.

"It just seemed it was necessary to have some local organisational structure for these people so they could be effectively served."

He said there were no legal issues with establishing Exit NZ.

"It's a voluntary organisation. People will join. They will get access to newsletters," he said.

"More importantly, they will get access to information and this is information people want to know about while they wait around for a decent law."

Dr Nitschke said a law change was more likely to happen in New Zealand than in Australia.

His advice to MPs was to consider whether the Death with Dignity Bill would improve New Zealand society.

"I think a close inspection will show that it's so much fairer, equitable and just, if you have decent legislation," he said.

"Out there in New Zealand society now, the rich do well, the well-connected do well in end-of-life decision-making, but the poor or 'unconnected' don't get so many options and that is very unfair."

Under the bill, terminally or incurably ill people would be allowed to seek help from a medically-qualified person to end their lives.

If passed, there will be a referendum on the issue.

- NZPA