SAVES is not affiliated with Exit International / Dr Philip Nitschke and opposes the public availability of a 'peaceful pill'.

The 2005 Exit International Conference was held in Brisbane on 5th- 6th November, with SAVES committee members Frances Coombe, Mary Gallnor, Anne Hirsch and Julia Anaf attending. Canadian Humanist of the Year, Evelyn Martens from Right to Die Canada, and Ludwig Minelli founder of Dignitas (speaking via videolink) were the Keynote Speakers. Evelyn Martens told of her ordeal in facing two charges of aiding and abetting suicide through agreeing to be present at the elected suicides of right-to-die members, and of the police entrapment involved. She was found not guilty of the charge. Ms Martens stated:

The law is an outdated remnant of a bigoted past ... dying should be a social and humane experience…with the freedom to choose to die, and a time to die.

Speakers from the political arena included Senators Lyn Allison and Barnaby Joyce, Ian Cohen MLC, and former senator Brian Greig, (Australian Democrats). Dr Philip Nitschke, John Edge, and Dr Wendy Gunthorpe, were Exit International’s speakers. Dr Rodney Syme (VESV), Sandra Milne (VESQ) and Mary Gallnor (SAVES), also addressed the conference.

Mary gave an overview of the progress of South Australian legislation from the Natural Death Act (1983) onwards. She discussed SAVES’ work in preparing the ground, raising consciousness and lobbying, as well as the role of SAVES’ Task Force in bringing strategies to the committee. SAVES new mobile display attracted a great deal of interest, with many people taking notes and making enquiries of the SAVES members who staffed it for the duration of the conference.

Civil rights advocates Terry O’Gorman QC and Greg Barns, and Kep Enderby QC (former President VESNSW and Attorney General in the Whitlam years) also addressed the conference. Bill Godfrey and several members of the Verschoor family spoke from the perspective of family members who have experienced the difficulties involved in helping loved ones find assistance to die with dignity in the face of laws proscribing choice for voluntary euthanasia.

Chris Griffith, a journalist with the Queensland Courier Mail, gave information around his coverage of the death of Nancy Crick, which won him a ‘best feature’ award. Janine Hosking gave an introduction to the screening of her film ‘Mademoiselle and the Doctor’.

Greg Barns reminded the audience that Australians have no bill of rights protection, a point also raised by Brian Greig who explained how human rights legislation has been ‘watered down’. Terry O’Gorman questioned the way in which the Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Material Offences) Act 2005 would work in practice. He surmised that powerful opponents would push for prosecutions through ambiguities of terms in the legislation such as to ‘incite’ and ‘counsel’.The audience was also told of the ‘Peanut Project’, associated with the ‘Peaceful Pill’ initiative, and how approximately 20 Exit International members participated in an event to learn aspects of making a ‘peaceful pill’.