- LETTER TO FEDERAL POLITICIANS 16/05/05 -

The following letters is a contribution from a reader, contact details were supplied but deleted. I would love to see more Australians getting involved in lobbying those representing us in Parliament. Please remember politicians are not mind readers, they need to be told what your concerns are for your own wellbeing both now and in the future.

----------------------------

Attention Federal Politicians
Parliament House
Canberra
16-05-2005

Dear Parliamentarians

With reference to the recent tabling of the Legal and Constitutional Committee report in the Federal Parliament on the Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences ) Bill-2005, the following is for consideration by all concerned.

With reference to the intent of the Bill in question and when considering the National reality based majority support for autonomous self-determination for the freedom to choose in end of life decisions, then un-fettered access to valued internet and phone counseling should be an inalienable civil right for all citizens.

At this juncture I must amplify that at no time in the past or present, have I observed in any print or electronic media reporting, any public calling that necessitated this suspect Government initiated legislation. In highlighting this and as the nations constituents have not called for such un-wanted legislation and with the opposition disappointingly in support, then just who, are our Politicians listening to?

As an axiom, a mark of democracy is a mark of respect for people’s autonomous freedoms, but our present faltering democracy represents a double standard of pious morality and hypocrisy where our right to choose and civil liberties are concerned. With a focus on this situation one may ask, what ever happened to the politically revered words, of Abraham Lincoln that saw the Peoples House of Representatives adopt his respected quote as its Political standard of good government and that being; “of the people, by the people, for the people” which is as relevant today as when first spoken

In good conscience and as a moral imperative, the peoples elected representatives should be asking themselves one very poignant question. That question being, “Why should people experiencing un-relenting suffering as a miserable prelude to death be denied via discriminating legislation un-fettered access to compassionate supportive internet and phone counselling facilities in their time of need”

With this Bill not representing a well reasoned humanitarian social stance, the Government appears to be dictating unsanctioned censorship and in this era of enlightenment, do the majority of the people really want this type of punitive prohibition that to my knowledge, exists nowhere else in the democratic world,

If this proposed Bill ascends into law without the appropriate amendments, I believe that futuristically, people will look back in amazement at how we denied distressed dying people access to internet and phone counseling and I wonder how history will judge the architects and supporters of such draconian legislation.

The above is for your consideration and attention.
R Bennet