Hi ,
The week after next, a bill will go to the Senate aimed at restoring the rights of Australians who live in the NT or the ACT to decide for themselves whether they want to legalise Voluntary Assisted Dying. This bill will overturn the patronising Andrews Bill, championed in 1996 by conservative Catholics Kevin Andrews and Labor's Tony Burke.
No matter what your view of VAD, the idea that territorians are treated like children and not allowed to decide for themselves is simply deplorable.
The bill has already passed the lower house by a large margin: 99 in favour and 37 against.
But the numbers in the Senate appear to be much tighter - maybe 38 in favour and 28 against. Nine are unknown. It could go
either way.
Will you help?
The sanctimonious opponents of this bill are rallying their troops. The troops are bombarding senators with template emails. Disgustingly, they are particularly targetting the Northern Territory, getting their supporters to say VAD would put the lives of aboriginal people at risk. Rubbish, and particularly galling.
We must show that reasonable people believe all Australians should have the right to decide for themselves. And that includes aboriginal people.
