| Part of a series on |
| Euthanasia |
|---|
| Types |
| Animal · Child · Voluntary Non-voluntary · Involuntary |
| Views |
| Religious (Buddhist · Catholic) |
| Groups |
| Dignitas · Dignity in Dying Exit International |
| People |
| Jack Kevorkian · Philip Nitschke |
| Books |
| Final Exit The Peaceful Pill Handbook |
| Jurisdictions |
| Australia · Canada India · Mexico Netherlands · New Zealand Switzerland · United Kingdom United States |
| Laws |
|
Oregon Death with Dignity Act Washington Death with Dignity Act |
| Court cases |
| Washington v. Glucksberg (1997) Gonzales v. Oregon (2006) Baxter v. Montana (2009) |
| Alternatives |
| Assisted suicide Palliative care Principle of double effect Terminal sedation |
| Other issues |
| Suicide tourism Groningen Protocol Euthanasia device Euthanasia and the slippery slope |
Euthanasia is illegal in Australia, but was legal for a period in the Northern Territory.
Contents |
Although it is a crime to assist in euthanasia, prosecutions have been rare. In 2002, relatives and friends who provided moral support to an elderly woman who committed suicide were extensively investigated by police, but no charges were laid. The Commonwealth government subsequently tried to hinder euthanasia with the passage of the Criminal Code Amendment (Suicide Related Materials Offences) Bill of 2004. In Tasmania in 2005 a nurse was convicted of assisting in the death of her elderly mother and father who were both suffering from illnesses. She was sentenced to two and a half years in jail but the judge later suspended the conviction because he believed the community did not want the woman put behind bars. This sparked debate about decriminalising euthanasia. Decriminalisation of Euthanasia in Australia is supported by the Australian Greens, the Australian Democrats, and the Liberal Democratic Party.[1]
Also, very recently in Australia, an assisted euthanasia case has arisen about the suspected issuing of the Euthanasia drug Nembutal imported from Mexico illegally. The sedative is used to put down cats and dogs in Mexican pet shops. The two women convicted of providing Nembutal to former pilot Graeme Wylie, Shirley Justins and Caren Jennings, were found guilty of manslaughter and accessory to manslaughter respectively. Justins claims that Wylie wanted to die 'with dignity.' The prosecution argued that Graeme Wylie did not have the mental capacity to make the crucial decision to end his life, classing it as involuntary euthanasia.
In August 2009, the Supreme Court of Western Australia ruled that it was up to Christian Rossiter, a 49 year old quadraplegic, to decide if he was to continue to receive medical care (tube feeding) and that his carers had to abide by his wishes. Chief Justice Wayne Martin also stipulated that his carers, Brightwater Care, would not be held criminally responsible for following his instructions. Rossiter died on 21 September 2009 following a chest infection.[2][3]
Euthanasia was legalised in Australia's Northern Territory, by the Rights of the Terminally Ill Act 1995. Soon after, the law was voided by an amendment by the Commonwealth to the Northern Territory (Self-Government) Act 1978. The powers of the Northern Territory legislature, unlike those of the State legislatures, are not guaranteed by the Australian constitution. However, before the Commonwealth government made this amendment, three people had already died through physician assisted suicide under the legislation, aided by Dr Philip Nitschke. The first person was a carpenter, Bob Dent, who died on 22 September 1996.
Exit International is a euthanasia advocacy group founded by Philip Nitschke in Australia.
The Voluntary Euthanasia Society of New South Wales promotes legislation to allow for euthanasia.[4]
Exit International made TV ads, which were banned just before they were scheduled to broadcast in September 2010.[5]