THE erosion of Australian assisted suicide legislation serves as a warning to Scottish politicians considering a change in the law, campaigners have said.
The State of Victoria, in southeastern Australia, has unveiled plans to dispense with several “safeguards” in its ‘assisted dying’ regime.
Australia’s legislation has been praised by the MSP behind a Holyrood Assisted Dying Bill and other groups advocating for a change in the law.
‘Safeguards’ removed
The Victorian government has outlined several controversial changes, including allowing doctors to raise assisted death with patients under their care.
Medics who conscientiously object to the practice are to be required to “provide minimum information to patients”, compromising their right to refuse.
A required third assessment of patients with neurodegenerative conditions will be scrapped to make the “process easier” and reduce “demand on doctors”.
And a requirement for people seeking doctor-assisted suicide to be Australian citizens and residents of Victoria is also being reconsidered.
Claims undermined
The news undermines claims by Scottish assisted suicide campaigners, who have praised the ‘safety’ of Australian laws.
Speaking as he introduced his Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill to Holyrood last year, Liam McArthur MSP said:
“This bill contains robust safeguards, similar to those which have been safely and successfully introduced in countries such as Australia”.
Whilst campaign group Dignity in Dying Scotland, which supported the “development” of Mr McArthur’s legislation, has stated:
“Victoria was the first Australian state to pass an assisted dying law. More than 60 safeguards are built into the Voluntary Assisted Dying Act 2017, which has led to it being described as ‘the most cautious, the safest, scheme for assisted dying anywhere in the world’.”
‘Unsolvable problem’
Dr Miro Griffiths MBE, a Disability Studies Scholar and spokesman for Better Way, commented:
“Proponents of ‘assisted dying’ in Scotland including the MSP behind the Holyrood Bill have praised the ‘safety’ of Australian legislation. Now it emerges that after just five years, the Victorian government is radically overhauling its ‘assisted dying’ regime.
“Doctors may soon be allowed to raise assisted suicide with patients, conscience rights and patient protections are to be weakened, and access to assisted death may be expanded to people who are not Australian citizens. This can only be described as an erosion of safeguards.
“This development highlights an unsolvable problem with the Scottish legislation: drafting safeguards today does not guarantee against mission creep down the line. Indeed, the experience of many countries suggests it is a matter of when, not if, safeguards are watered down.
“If a Scottish assisted suicide law is passed, it will be challenged by those who feel that their condition should make them eligible. Legal and political battles and culture change could lead to a much wider, permissive law. The only way to rule this out is to uphold current laws.
“We would urge MSPs to reject this unsafe and unworkable proposal and devote all their energy to improving ethical and progressive forms of support: blanket suicide prevention, palliative care, and measures that create a more inclusive society for disabled people.”
ENDS
About Better Way
Better Way opposes assisted suicide, sets out an alternative vision, and provides a platform for marginalised voices. The campaign is supported by experts in several fields including medicine, disability advocacy, and sociology.
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