IT would seem that a voluntary assisted dying (VAD) bill will be presented to NSW Parliament in the near future.
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Euthanasia is an issue of which I have always had serious reservations.
Even with measures to stop abuse, my concern is that in time these measures, rules or laws will mean nothing.
I remember when abortion was a major issue in the early 1970s; a concern raised was that it would become a means of convenience.
This was happening well before abortion was decriminalised.
Can those who support voluntary assisted dying guarantee this will not happen with euthanasia?
History has shown that if something has happened before it will happen again.
My concern is that in time palliative care will not be an option and people with serious illnesses, not just terminal illnesses, will be expected to die.
This could be an attractive option for governments as euthanasia would be a lot cheaper than palliative care.
It's been said that the nation that does not care for its old or young is doomed.
Our future does not bode well.
Peter Sansom, Kahibah
Not all death involves pain
IN the tragic story of Jayde Britton's death from cervical cancer (Herald, 30/1), her partner, Abbey Egan said the palliative care team had done "everything in their power" but "it just wasn't enough".
Maybe, yet Palliative Care Australia says it is a myth that pain is an inevitable part of dying, and that symptoms, including vomiting, can be managed.
Certainly this case indicates a correlation between inadequate palliative care and demands for VAD.
In Victoria where, despite assurances, 10 times as many deaths occurred than were anticipated in first 12 months from VAD and euthanasia.
A VAD Review Board Report worryingly failed to address the number of patients who were able to receive a comprehensive palliative care assessment before a VAD assessment.
Health Canada's "Medical Assistance in Dying in Canada 2019" report shows an unacceptable number of people who requested medical assistance in dying received little or no quality palliative care in the months before death.
In a Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association (CHPCA) Survey Report (November 2018) of its membership, respondents felt that there was a lack of resources for hospice palliative care but more resources to support MAiD.
In addition, medical practitioners reported extreme stress when they had an active role in providing MAiD, and the report mentions the lack of support for those choosing not to perform MAiD resulting in practitioners feeling "forced" to do so.
Peter Dolan, Lambton
Euthanasia is not a wise path
I KNOW of many who have had terminal illnesses and have been given palliative care and have not suffered any pain in their last weeks of their life.
I also have a friend of mine who was diagnosed with cancer in a location that made it untreatable and was placed into the palliative care program.
But the cancer has retreated to the extent that there is only a shadow where the cancer was, and his health has returned in full strength.
Suffering in the last days of a person's life must be stopped and I am still fully convinced that effective palliative care will remove all discomfort from a terminal person during the last days of their life.
Dying with dignity must be with the use of all the palliative care capacity that our medical professionals can offer in the last days of any person's life.
Euthanasia is not a wise path, as beyond the voluntary, is that of compulsion.
Milton Caine, Birmingham Gardens
Enough about Margaret, already
MUCH has been said and written regarding Margaret Court's awards and her opinions on the gay community.
The subject of free speech appears to have been quoted many times, but free speech has its boundaries.
You cannot simply go around saying whatever you think just because you believe that your views are more important than others.
There are boundaries such as libel; slander; obscenity; sedition and incitement (consider ex-President Trump inciting his followers to violence) as well as divulging classified information.
It may be OK to hold opinions, but keep them to yourself, Margaret Court.
IN OTHER NEWS:
Peter Fitzsimmons (SMH, 30/1) wrote that our Margaret has had many strange and different and toxic ideas and statements over the years inferring for example that transgender people are inhabited by an evil spirit.
She also supported Apartheid in South Africa.
How then is Margaret Court among our brightest and fairest?
It does appear that she is a bigot and a bully.
Yes, a fabulous tennis player, but as Fitzsimmons points out her career finished 50 years ago and she had already been honoured for that.
What has she done since that we should honour her again and give her an upgrade in the honours list?
Has she looked at the suicide rates among young gay and transgender teens?
Newcastle's own Peter Goggarty was also the recipient of an award for fighting for the rights of those harmed by the Catholic Church and I wouldn't want to see him on the same stage as Margaret Court.
Denise Lindus Trummel, Mayfield
Wests staff really were the best
ON Friday I carelessly lost four rings.
I phoned Wests Leagues Club New Lambton to check with 'lost property' and learnt that two of my rings had been handed in by an honest cleaner.
My daughter accompanied me to Wests to collect them, and while there, she found a third ring under a lounge.
During this procedure the staff were incredible.
They understood my concern, they shifted furniture, they told me they would continue to search for the fourth, elusive ring.
This morning I received a call from Anna at Wests, saying they had the fourth ring.
I need to comment on the care, genuine concern and support I received from all of the staff members concerned, leading me to feel as if I were part of their family, as they couldn't have given their own family member any better support than that which I received this weekend.
Thurza Snelson, Merewether
SHORT TAKES
I WAS lucky to be able assist with the "Dying with Dignity" stall last Saturday (30/1) at Mount Hutton. We would like to thank all the people who took the time to sign the petition. We were told quite a few stories of parents and other relatives who had had an unnecessarily painful death. The various stalls around Newcastle and Lake Macquarie were only open for six hours but I'm told picked up more than 2000 signatures.
Wal Remington, Mount Hutton
WHY should people who are suffering immense and never ending pain towards the end of their life have to suffer? Why can't people choose to die in dignity with their family beside them? It is the ultimate torture to have to witness a loved one, who has no hope of recovery, in pain.
Robyn King, Mullaley
WITH all the Australia Day discussion about changing the date to incorporate the First Australians, I propose to change the flag. Having the Aboriginal flag where the Union Jack is and giving the Southern Cross a black background. I think that would help with the healing process. For those who say we fought under that flag. Where was the UK when Darwin was bombed?
Jo Coombes, Mayfield West
IT is my fervent hope that all the climate change deniers live to be 150. Only then will they (maybe) admit the science was right.
John Atkins, Hamilton South
IN reply to Carl Stevenson's opinion about the amount of renewables to supply the grid with 100 per cent power. This week with hot days up to 40 degrees as well as rainy weather the grid was supplied by 28.6 per cent renewable power. To reach 100 per cent renewable power, the amount of renewables only needs to increase by a bit over twice the amount currently generating.
Agner Sorensen, Teralba
KYLIE Stibbard's beliefs in conspiracy, self-interest and lack of vision are admiral, for her. Believing in something does not make it so. As for breathing, each person takes in ~0.040 per cent CO2 in the air. Each breath out it is ~5.6% CO2. A 14,000 per cent increase in every breath, every person. Those who believe CO2 is a problem should consider this. I won't hold my breath for sense to prevail as we waste billions destroying good infrastructure for a belief.
Arvid Taylor, Jewells
I'M laughing about the Lewis view in Saturday's paper. If the Greens and Labor are so correct about their climate change policies why is Morrison two to one the favoured prime minister? Albanese is a joke; Labor should get rid of him and put Fitzgibbon as leader then and then only will they have a chance of winning the next election.
Robert Hopton, Wallsend
MIKE Sargent (Letters, 1/2), I doubt you'll get a reply simply because there aren't many who deny that the climate is changing. Installing Chris Bowen as shadow climate spokesperson is a masterstroke, for the government. Just as he dared retirees not to vote Labor last time, I guess he'll dare those who aren't alarmists not to vote Labor next time: and we won't.