- LETTER TO ALL SENATORS 06/05/05 -

This is a copy of a letter sent to all members the Senate Committee, May 6th, 2005, by a friend of mine, met through the "Choice" Website. I have included on this page with her permission, name and address withheld.

Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Materials Offences) Bill 2005.

In making use of the Internet to obtain your title and address I came across the link to "Documenting a Democracy".

One of the pathways led me to FREEDOMS, with a list of laws that were passed to recognised freedoms, and also a list that limit freedoms. I noticed that the date of the last entry on this list was 1918. Why is the Euthanasia Laws Bill 1997 not on the list.

Most people understand that good and fair laws are necessary for a country to function without anarchy.

This Bill before the committee will impose another limit to freedom; freedom to discuss very deep personal thoughts with caring people, any Voluntary Euthanasia Organisation, Lifeline, Exit Int, and The Good Samaritans, nor can you discuss it with your doctor. There used to be laws to prevent women learning how their bodies functioned. ( Refer to the lives of Margaret Sanger and Marie Stopes)

The law report on ABC of 19 April 2005 " Internet Gambling" was explaining the difficulties of controlling any gambling sites from outside Australia. Which would also apply to the above topic. This week alone on ABC TV I have seen three films in which somebody committed suicide not forgetting the news of a prominent business person.

From the Hansard Proof Issue 14th April 2005, I looked at the site deviantcase.com which Mr Preston referred to, an off shore site. That site also has information on some negative outcomes that could result with various methods of ending a life.

I am questioning the need for this senate hearing at all. Why are taxpayers dollars being spent and hundreds of man-hours being wasted fighting a straw enemy. What is the hidden agenda here?

In fact what is the real question ? Is the word suicide the problem?

Do you think terminally ill and frail elderly people are going to commit mass suicide? In fact most of us do not want to commit suicide. I still have some quality of life although I have had 20 years of an illness than can only become worse.

Our democracy supposedly allows us the most basic freedom of religion, speech, choice and thought, among other privileges brought into being by compassionate people in the past.

Legislation cannot stop dying! Has anybody analysed the figures, to the nature of the persons ending. Was it peaceful or in agony ? Just a statistic soon forgotten except by the family who watched helplessly. Could we look at the issue in another way in order to have a better outcome for all concerned.

Suggestion:
Why are so many terminally ill and tired elderly people contemplating desperate measures in order for them to choose a dignified death? Many of them enduring pain for a long time do not want to be cared for until living has sapped their strength and enervated their spirit. The key words are personal choice for patient and also for any medical practitioner who prefers not to assist for their own reasons.

Unlike Veterinary practitioners who are able to end an animals life peacefully, medical doctors are prevented by law from using similar means of assistance. Hence the desperate measures being taken by older people to manufacture a" peaceful pill" This will not be needed when ethical professional people from medicine, religion, law and politics stop practicing mumpsimus* and look outside the square and listen to their patients communication.

The Hansard Proof Issue also states: that this bill will not hinder discussion and debate. Since 1988 people in Victoria have been signing Medical Treatment Act Forms, and Advance Directives stating their wishes for end of life conditions, trusting these document to be legal, only to find hindrance in some hospitals, by either medical or administrative staff when these forms have been discovered in a patients file. A bill to legalise these forms nationally would seem more cost effective.

Well bring on that discussion, but remember to use the word choice in life end solutions. Fact is the Medical Economists are already encouraging people's input and choices into the Health Care format, in regard to better outcomes for the money spent.

As a citizen of our democracy (?) I urge you (our trusted chosen servants) to look carefully at who, the way and why this bill has come about. No wonder there is a belief in a conspiracy of silence.

I thank you if you have read this far.

Sincerely
for ( John & Jane Doe)