CANBERRA - Hundreds of books will be burned outside Parliament House today in a protest marking the 10th anniversary of federal legislation overturning the Northern Territory's pioneering euthanasia laws.
Leading euthanasia advocate Dr Philip Nitschke volunteered hundreds of copies of his banned book, The Peaceful Pill, for the
bonfire.
"The books are worthless ... so we may as well burn the bloody things in front of Parliament House," Dr Nitschke said yesterday.
The protest is being led by a busload of elderly and seriously ill euthanasia supporters who will arrive in Canberra today.
The protesters left Sydney at midday (AEST) yesterday aboard two buses dubbed "the freedom ride" and covered in "Day Of Shame" banners, organisers said.
Dr Philip Nitschke, who was aboard one of the buses, said those involved had come from around the country to take part.
"There's a general feeling that it's good to be able to do something and mark the anniversary on Monday in some way," Dr Nitschke said.
The Northern Territory introduced world-first legislation allowing medically supervised voluntary euthanasia in September 1996.
Dr Nitschke, who was instrumental in persuading the government to introduce the so-called right-to-die laws, later helped four patients with terminal illness take their own lives.
But under pressure from church groups and right-to-life supporters, the federal government passed laws overriding the territory legislation on March 26, 1997.
A number of other countries led by the Netherlands subsequently introduced similar legislation.
- AAP
