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

New Zealand

New Zealand: Parliament

New Zealand members of parliament have voted 60 to 57 (with one abstention) against the Death with Dignity Bill at its first reading stage. NZ First MP Peter Brown, who introduced the bill, claimed that he was dejected because 'people who are dying under stress, strain and pain should have had a voice to come before a select committee'.

Incorporating strong safeguards, the bill provided for a binding referendum on whether terminally or incurably ill people should be able to seek medical assistance to end their lives.

However this defeat should be kept in perspective, for in 1995, the last time the New Zealand parliament debated a law to legalize euthanasia, the move was heavily defeated 61 votes to 29. The 'knife edge' result this time bodes well for future bills and reflects the growing understanding of the need for legislative reform.

Based on 'Right to die bill put to rest' by Nick Venter, Dominion Post NZ 31 July 2003

New Zealand: the courts (1)

Voluntary euthanasia campaigner Ms Lesley Martin has been committed for trial for the attempted murder of her mother who died in May 1999. She was remanded for a High Court call-over on November 18th although her trial is not expected to proceed until next year.

Ms Martin is accused of attempting to murder Joy Patricia Martin, 69, her terminally ill mother, by administering an overdose of morphine in May. This was to honour a promise to her dying mother to end her agony. Her lawyer, Donald Stevens QC, said that Martin would plead not guilty to the charge.

Her arrest occurred after she published a book To Die Like A Dog, in which she wrote of the anguish of trying to end her mother's suffering. Ms Martin is working full-time on advocating for choice for voluntary euthanasia and has set up Exit New Zealand ­ a chapter of Dr Philip Nitschke's organisation Exit Australia.

She maintains that treating situations such as hers as criminal encourages more terminally ill people to commit suicide than would be the case if they could be assured of a legally assisted death of their own choosing if life became intolerable.

Based on the articles 'Euthanasia campaigner faces trial in mother's death', New Zealand Herald, Auckland. 27th August.2003, and 'Brave face as woman fights charge' by Kathryn Oats Daily News, Wellington 25 August 2003

New Zealand: The Courts (2)

Nelson NZ coroner, Ian Smith, who has investigated three voluntary euthanasia cases in just over a year is urging Parliament to take another look at the issue.

While Hamilton coroner Gordon Matenga and Auckland coroner Dr Murray Jamieson said they held no statistics on the incidence of voluntary euthanasia, because it could be difficult to distinguish from any other suicides, Mr Smith said it was an easy matter in the three cases he examined.

"The sharply distinguishing feature is that all had plastic bags over their heads," he said. They also left suicide notes explaining that they were in great pain. "The post mortem reports showed what they were suffering from, and we put the whole scenario together." Mr Smith, a coroner for more than 10 years, said three such cases in just over a year marked an increased incidence. He attributed this to publicity about voluntary euthanasia, including "the Australian scene", and the rejection in July of a bill to legalise voluntary euthanasia in NZ.

Mr Smith said that while the current law must be upheld, but it was up to Parliament to resolve the issue.

"The reality is that this will continue. It's something we as a society have to come to grips with. When someone's quality of life is so bad ... they have to do something to alleviate their suffering. If I have had three ... how many others are there around the country?"

Asked for his personal view on voluntary euthanasia, he said: "When quality of life is to the point that it's not there - I suppose if I'm not functioning ... I probably don't want to be here."

Mr Smith expected the issue would be discussed at the Australasian Coroners' Conference in Christchurch and that he would raise it at the next meeting of the New Zealand Coroners Council.

Based on an article by Martin Johnston 'Coroner urges right-to-die review', New Zealand Herald, Auckland 24 Sept.2003 (emphasis added - Ed)

Canada - support for law reform

A recent poll reveals Canadians continue to support the legalisation of physician-assisted suicide. Forty nine per cent support, 37 per cent oppose and 13 per cent are undecided on the issue.

While the level of support is lower than in previous surveys Michael Marzolini, the president of Pollara, the company which conducted the poll, said previous surveys were often taken shortly after high-profile cases which had attracted a high level of public sympathy.

Mr Marzolini claimed that it is a suitable time to be conducting surveys on moral values or possibly religious issues, including discussion on same-sex marriage, the legalisation of marijuana and abortion, as people have been re-evaluating their attitudes to many of these issues. Canadian support for voluntary euthanasia fluctuates according to the merits of each case in the public eye.

Mr Marzolini argued that people are now reflecting on the ethics involved and not just emotions. The survey also found that in general, most Canadians avoid talking about death. In 1994 Prime Minister Jean Chrétien pledged to hold a free vote on the legalisation of euthanasia, but this has not eventuated. A special Senate committee met for 14 months, heard from 150 witnesses and received some 300 briefs before issuing a split report in 1995.

Four of the seven senators on the committee concluded existing laws on physician-assisted suicide should not be changed. The remaining three senators called for changes to the Criminal Code to protect those who assist in suicide.

Based on an article by Bill Curry, The Ottawa Citizen Sunday, 7th September, 2003

In 1986 Xia Suwen became the first person officially recorded as dying by voluntary euthanasia in China. Her death was followed by investigations undertaken by the Hanzhong Municipal Public Security Bureau. Ms Suwen's son, Wang Mincheng, and her doctor were arrested for her murder. The local court passed a not guilty verdict and a legal expert appealed for the legalisation of voluntary euthanasia to limit further suffering.

Since 2000 Wang Mincheng, suffering from cancer, had also been requesting assistance to die but was refused by the hospital due to legal constraints. However he again highlighted the issue of voluntary euthanasia; this time from his hospital bed and through the media, before dying on the 3rd August. The People's Daily reported that his demand for euthanasia was all the more significant due to his previous advocacy on behalf of his mother.

Based on an article 'Patient Calls for Right to Die with Dignity' in People's Daily, China 9th June 2003 and the People's Daily Online 3rd August 2003