Kiwiblog

The ODT report:

Euthanasia law-reform activist Sean Davison is shaken but unfazed despite death threats and an attack on his Dunedin residence over the weekend.

A brick, with a note attached, was thrown through the window of his Kaikorai address at 11.05pm on Friday, landing 4m across the living room floor. The note said: “Leave Gods [sic] laws or be struck down dead”.

How lovely.

“They’re obviously from people who are opposed to the law change I’m seeking. They’re obviously not very bright, because they glued all the letters, but hand-wrote the address on the envelope,” he said.

Dumb and dumber.

The offender picked the wrong target in Davison, who is head of the University of Western Cape forensic DNA laboratory in South Africa.

“I’m going to get the letters DNA-tested at our laboratory in Cape Town … you can easily get profiles from stamps and envelopes,” he said.

“Then I’ll provide the results to the police.”

Excellent. Great initiative.

Trevor Mallard blogs:

A UK commission headed by a former lord chancellor has found in favour of assisted dying.

Euthanasia is a conscience vote in parliament. In Hutt South all candidates from parties that got into parliament said they would support the first reading of a bill.

My view has firmed on the issue over the last decade and unless evidence to a select committee highlighted something I am currently not aware of, or if there was a major drafting error I would support a bill through all stages.

Not that I will get a vote, but if I did I would also vote for such a bill through all stages, so long as it was drafted competently.

Also like Trevor, my views have firmed up over the last decade. Coming from a medical family I used to have serious reservations about any change that may see doctors have any role apart from prolonging life. But we already see passive euthanasia on a daily basis.

The turning point for me, was Rodney Hide’s newsletter about the death of Martin Hames. The cruelty of what Martin was forced into doing, made it clear to me that the status quo was not acceptable.

The Press editorial:

The anguish felt by Sean Davison this week was palpable. In 2006, Davison gave his terminally ill, 85-year-old mother a glass of crushed morphine tablets in water.

Patricia Davison, a former medical practitioner, was suffering from cancer and was in pain and distress. She had earlier tried to starve herself to death. When the authorities became aware of what Sean Davison had done from an early manuscript of Before We Say Goodbye, a book he later published on the last months of his mother’s life, he was charged with her attempted murder.

I know or knew Sean Davison. He was in fact the National Party candidate for Dunedin North in 1987 – my first election. I was the Regional Young Nats Chair. Sean was a lovely sincere guy.

Nothing I have read from the transcript of his trial has caused me to think any worse of him. I think he was a hugely loving son, who couldn’t bear to see his mother suffer. His crime, if you call it that, was putting her wishes above the law.

Stuff also has a profile of Sean:

By September 23, Pat had decided to go on a water-only diet

She was forced to try and starve herself to death, to stop her suffering.

He asked her emphatically if she wanted him to make her death wish come true.

She replied, “Please, I want you to help me die … you really are a good boy.”

On October 24 2006, the 33rd day on water only, Pat, despite a morphine drip, was in agony and implored her son to “bash me on the head”.

“I want to die tonight. I feel dreadful. I feel pain everywhere and I can hardly talk,” she told him.

No one should have to suffer like Pat Davison suffered. And no son should have to choose between the law and saving his mother from agony.

The law must be changed to allow euthanasia. A dying person should be able to die with dignity. Of course there must be the strongest safeguards around euthansia, but to do that we need to legalise it. By keeping it illegal, you merely push it underground and increase the chances of a malicious misuse.

I hope the next Parliament confronts the issue. It would be a conscience vote, and needs an MP or MPs to submit bills into the members ballot.

Numerous polls have shown that most New Zealanders support euthanasia being available as an option for the terminally ill. It’s time to change the law.

Jessica Tasman-Jones at Stuff reports:

Prime Minister John Key has indicated he supports looking at the legislation surrounding euthanasia.

”That’s because I think, while it’s a sensitive issue that you would have to make sure was properly covered, I think there have also been some tragic cases where we have seen people before the courts where they have [assisted in euthanasia] at the will of the person they have ended their lives for,” he told the Family First forum in Auckland today.

Secretary of Voluntary Euthanasia New Zealand Pat Hubbard said Key’s comments were ”extraordinarily good news” for the ”death with dignity” group.

You certainly do need strong safeguards, if you legalise euthanasia. But it is the right thing to do. People should be able to decide to end their lives, if they are rational and they have little or no quality of life. Hence those who assist, should not be made into criminals for doing so.

The Herald reports:

An Auckland doctor who has just months to live after being diagnosed with a terminal illness says it’s time for euthanasia to be legalised.

Dr John Pollock said it was unfair that if he lived in Holland, Belgium or some American states he would have the option of ending his life if his condition deteriorated to a point where he was suffering, but in New Zealand he faces a death he cannot control.

He believes it is time for a law change so people facing death have the comfort of knowing they can control the end.

I support a law change. I think people should have the right to decide to die, if they are terminal. You wants lots of safeguards, but the principle is easy.

Under the current law, some terminally ill patients were left in the “most appallingly wretched states, sometimes akin to those who died of starvation in Nazi concentration camps”, Dr Pollock said. “Ironically if we allowed a cat or a dog or a horse to reach such a condition we would be breaking the law and risking a prison sentence.”

When asked if he had ever helped a patient end their life he replied: “It’s against the law.” He said he did however know “a number” of doctors who had helped suffering patients.

“I don’t see how a merciful doctor could not. The difference between relieving pain and euthanasia can be really quite small.”

In NZ we already have passive euthanasia – where people are allowed to die, as their quality of life is so poor. The debate is about whether one can have active euthanasia – where medicine can be supplied that will painlessly kill someone.

“The law won’t be changed in time for me and the only way that I can legally end my life before it is due to end is suicide and that’s the cruelty of it – not only suicide but suicide alone because if I top myself with my family present then I put them at risk and I think that’s hideous. It’s very cruel.”

Rodney Hide talked eloquently about Martin Hames trying to kill himself alone, because of the euthanasia laws. Martin’s case is the one which convinced me to come off the fence on this issue, and support euthanasia.

Tonight on TVNZ 7 or live at the Backbencher at 9 pm

• Jacqui Dean, National
• Gareth Hughes Greens
• Chris Hipkins, Labour

One of the topics will be Euthanasia, with a soapbox from Lesley Martin.

I’ve just blogged at curiablog, on a morality poll by UMR. Respondents were asked how morally acceptable (or unacceptable certain activities were. Below is the morally acceptable score for each activity and the net acceptable score (acceptable less unacceptable)

From most to least acceptable, they were:

1. Divorce 81%, +68%
2. Sex outside marriage 77%, +59%
3. Having baby outside marriage 71%, +48%
4. Stem cell research 63%, +38%
5. Homosexual relations 61%, +29%
6. Euthanasia 55%, +18%
7. Abortion 55%, +21%
8. Gambling 52%, +10%
9. Animal medical testing 52%, +12%
10. Wearing or buying fur 48%, +4%
11. Death Penalty 43%, -7%
12. Animal Cloning 27%, -40%
13. Suicide 20%, -48%
14. Married people having affairs 13%, -70%
15. Polygamy 11%, -74%
16. Human cloning 7%, -81%

Now this was asking about moral acceptability, not legality. So while only 55% think abortion is morally acceptable, that doesn’t mean only 55% think it should be legal.

Now what would my answers have been. None of the first ten I would regard as morally unacceptable. I do regard the death penalty as unacceptable – not keen on states being able to kill it citizens. Tend to regard suicide as morally unacceptable in most circumstances but not all (ie terminally ill). While generally I think it is not a good idea for married people to have affairs (and if married I would not), I’m wouldn’t label it as morally unacceptable as it is between those two people. I don’t think polygamy should be legal but nor do I regard it as morally unacceptable. And finally I don’t believe human cloning is automatically morally unacceptable.  I favour very very tight restrictions on it, but think there are potential benefits.

So bottom line is there is very little I believe is always morally unacceptable. Mainly just the death penalty really.

I’m sure very few here will agree with me!

Well that is the possible tabloid headline. The Herald on Sunday reports:

An Auckland-born scientist has admitted in a leaked manuscript to giving his cancer-ravaged mother a lethal overdose of morphine. …

Sean Davison published a book last month about his 85-year-old mother’s final days, without disclosing the role he played after his mother summoned him home to Dunedin to help her die.

However, a copy of his original manuscript, supplied anonymously to the Herald on Sunday this week, contains the incriminating details that were deleted from the book. …

Davison’s memoir, Before We Say Goodbye, was published last month. Adapted from his diary, the book described his mother’s repeated requests for him to help her die, and her unsuccessful 33-day hunger strike. But it skirted around the circumstances of her death, in October 2006 at her Dunedin home.

However, in the manuscript he reveals she died hours after he gave her “a lethal drink of crushed morphine tablets” dissolved in a glass of water.

He wrote: “I held it in front of her and said, ‘If you drink this you will die.’ I really wanted to be so absolutely sure that there was no hesitation.

“She answered, ‘You’re a wonderful son.”‘

It is very sad that our laws forced Davison to do what he did, but he did so out of live and a desire to end his mother’s suffering. A terrible burden to bear though.

Sean was my first National Party candidate – he stood for Dunedin North in 1987, and I was the Regional Chair of the Otago/Southland Young Nationals. A very nice and decent guy.

Family First has rated every party leader for their “family friendliness” as they see it. This is a great idea, as those who agree with Family First’s values can use it as a positive guide, and those who disagree can use it as a negative guide. More lobby groups should do this sort of stuff.

The overall ratings (in order) for each Leader is:

1. Winston Peters 77%
2. Peter Dunne 69%
3. Pita Sharples 57%
4. Tariana Turia 54%
5. John Key 54%
6. Jim Anderton 38%
7. Rodney Hide 31%
8. Jeanette Fitzsimons 15%
9. Helen Clark 8%

Winston is the poster boy for social conservatism which is why it is so hilarious that so many on the left are doing everything possible to defend him.

There were 13 issues or votes they judged the Leaders on. I list them below, along with how I would have voted on it if I was an MP.

1. Prostitution Bill- DPF support – 0
2. Civil Unions – DPF support – 0
3. Relationships Bill – DPF support – 0
4. Parental Notification for under 16 abortions – DPF support – 1 (I support notification, not approval)
5. Euthanasia – DPF support – 0
6. Care of Children – DPF oppose – 1
7. Marriage Amendment (define as man/woman only) – DPF oppose – 0
8. Anti-Smacking – DPF oppose – 1
9. Easter Trading – DPF support – 0
10. Easter Sunday Trading – DPF support – 0
11. Drinking Age to 20 – DPF oppose – 0
12. Street Prostitution (Manukau) – DPF oppose – 0
13. Electoral Finance – DPF oppose – 1

So if I was a party leader I would be scored 4/13 or 31% – the same as Rodney Hide.

Euthanasia, like any issue to do with death, is a highly emotional issue. I used to be against it, but changed my mind after the death of Martin Hames in 2003.

The photo above is of Chantal Sebire who has appealed to French President Nicolas Sarkozy to allow her to die by euthanasia.

Sebire suffers from esthesioneuroblastoma, which attacks the nasal cavity. She has lived without a sense of smell and taste since 2000 and now the tumour has evolved and eaten into her jaws, and then eye sockets, leaving her blind since last year.

She suffers from “atrocious bouts of pain that can last up to four hours at a time”.

Rodney Hide’s e-mail newsletter on the Euthanasia Bill achieved two things for me:

1) It made me cry (I did know Martin Hames)
2) It persuaded me that if I was an MP, I should have voted for the Bill

Rodney’s newsletter doesn’t appear to have a web archive so I’ve included the text below – I am sure Rodney will not object. It makes me sad reading it again.
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