Group fears human rights at risk by proposed euthanasia changes

Ethos Alliance chief executive Alex Penk said the right to freedom of conscience would be threatened by provisions in ACT MP Todd Stephenson’s End of Life Choice Amendment Bill, which has yet to be drawn from Parliament’s ballot.

Under the current law, if an attending medical practitioner has a conscientious objection to euthanasia, he or she must tell the patient seeking it of their right to ask an external organisation for the name and contact details of a replacement medical practitioner.

Under the Stephenson/ACT bill, such a health practitioner must “provide the person with the contact details of the assisted dying service as soon as practicable”.

Mr Penk told Newstalk ZB that freedom of conscience “means the ability for people to preserve their most important beliefs, the things that give their life purpose, meaning and identity – the things that if they had to go against them, they would feel like they are betraying themselves”.

“There is a risk with ACT’s proposed changes that that is exactly what would happen.”

The proposed changes “would also start to narrow down the kinds of activities that doctors and other health practitioners could be excused from participating in”, Mr Penk said.

“Health practitioners, for example, if they are part of a team caring for a patient who is going to receive euthanasia, they would have to be involved in that way, which at present they don’t have to be.”

A related freedom of conscience issue concerns many care facilities, which “would have to be prepared to allow euthanasia to take place”, even if that went against their belief systems.

Mr Penk also expressed concern at the proposed removal of the six-month terminal illness prognosis requirement for assisted dying eligibility. The removal “would open up to a whole range of long-term conditions and disabilities that aren’t covered right now”.

The Stephenson bill incorporates 25 recommendations from a Ministry of Health review of the current law.

FULL STORY

Ethos Alliance CEO issues warning over proposed End of Life Choice Act changes (NewstalkZB)

ACT’s euthanasia law would breach human rights (Ethos Alliance)

End of Life Choice Amendment Bill (NZ Parliament)

End of Life Choice Act 2019 (Legislation NZ)