Canberra asked to face end of life options - The Canberra Times

Labor MLA Mary Porter has called for the ACT to have the courage to engage in a substantive debate about euthanasia and end of life care. Photo: Graham Tidy

Labor MLA Mary Porter has called for the ACT to have the courage to engage in a substantive debate about euthanasia and end-of-life care.

In a report published by the ACT Legislative Assembly this week, Ms Porter said her three-week visit to European countries where voluntary euthanasia or assisted suicide were legal had informed her of relevant issues faced in other jurisdictions.

She will host a forum on end-of-life options in Canberra on Thursday, attended by representatives of the Australian Medical Association, Exit International, Dying with Dignity and other health and religious bodies.

Queensland University of Technology law professors Lindy Willmott and Ben White will deliver keynote addresses to the forum.

The Ginninderra representative visited Switzerland, the Netherlands and Belgium in June, using her $24,000 travel entitlement and additional personal funds. Ms Porter, pictured, a former nurse, met more than 30 parliamentarians, medical experts and lawyers, conducting site visits at hospitals, hospices and palliative care centres.

''I believe a caring society always examines its responses to vulnerability in the community, in all its forms, such as financial stress, ill-health, disability, isolation, and is aware of what people are asking for and why,'' the report says.

''We must always say to ourselves, 'what are we doing to ensure that the vulnerable in our community are not becoming more vulnerable?'''

Commonwealth law passed during the Howard government restricts the ACT and Northern Territory from legalising euthanasia.

Ms Porter said she will work to present Canberrans with up-to-date information on options at the end of life, rather than advocate for or against voluntary euthanasia.

''Palliative care is an area that will experience a growth in demand as our population ages, and we need to respond to this challenge now so that people can receive the care and dignity they deserve at the end of their life,'' she said.

Last month Greens MLA and Minister for Ageing Shane Rattenbury described the ''Andrews Bill'' as an affront to democracy. The legislation carrying the name of Social Services Minister Kevin Andrews was introduced as a 1996 private member's bill in response to the Northern Territory's moves to legalise voluntary euthanasia.

Mr Rattenbury told the Assembly that a 2012 opinion poll found that 82.5 per cent of Australians believed a terminally ill person should be able to have access to doctor-assisted suicide.

Chief Minister Katy Gallagher said an ageing population meant it was important to discuss end-of-life issues in Canberra. The ACT Labor Party supports a conscience vote on euthanasia for all MLAs.

The Canberra Liberals do not support the removal of the Andrews bill provisions but support a conscience vote. The ACT Greens support the right of the terminally ill to choose a "medically induced death''.

Ms Porter said this week's forum was oversubscribed and a further event would take place to hear the views of ACT residents on the issue.

''There is still a good deal of research on this subject to be carried out in order to inform and be read for community conversation,'' her report says.