A Rotorua woman who closely followed Lecretia Seales' legal battle for the right to an assisted death says it is high time New Zealand law changed.
Ms Seales, a 42-year-old Wellington lawyer, was diagnosed with an inoperable brain tumour in 2011 and made New Zealand history by filing a statement of claim in the High Court seeking a ruling to determine whether her doctor could lawfully administer a lethal dose of drugs.
Ms Seales died yesterday, hours after the judgement in her landmark case was released to her family and lawyers.
Justice David Collins released his judgment to the public at 3pm yesterday - it rejected her bid and said only Parliament could give her what she wanted.
Rotorua woman Christine Lueken-Pion said she knew firsthand what it was like to watch somebody she loved suffer and Ms Seales' legal battle "brought to the forefront some crucial arguments for changing the law".