{"id":17769,"date":"2020-10-30T05:00:35","date_gmt":"2020-10-30T09:00:35","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=17769"},"modified":"2020-10-30T05:00:35","modified_gmt":"2020-10-30T09:00:35","slug":"new-zealand-euthanasia-assisted-dying-to-be-legal-for-terminally-ill-people","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2020\/10\/30\/new-zealand-euthanasia-assisted-dying-to-be-legal-for-terminally-ill-people\/","title":{"rendered":"New Zealand euthanasia: Assisted dying to be legal for terminally ill people"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p><b class=\"css-14iz86j-BoldText e5tfeyi0\">New Zealand has voted to legalise euthanasia in what campaigners have called &#8220;a victory for compassion and kindness&#8221;.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Preliminary results showed 65.2% of voters supported the End of Life Choice Act coming into force as a new law.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The law will allow terminally ill people with less than six months to live the opportunity to choose assisted dying if approved by two doctors.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Its opponents say the law lacks adequate safeguards.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The referendum results announced on Friday do not include an estimated 480,000 special votes, including overseas ballots, so the final outcome will not be confirmed until 6 November. But with such strong support, the decision is not expected to change.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The referendum is binding and the law is expected to come into effect in November 2021.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>It will see New Zealand join a small group of countries, including the Netherlands and Canada, which allow euthanasia.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<div class=\"css-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi3\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-47158287\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">What is assisted suicide and euthanasia?<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The referendum on assisted dying was held alongside the general election earlier this month. In a separate non-binding referendum held at the same time, New Zealanders narrowly rejected a proposal to legalise recreational cannabis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The preliminary results on the cannabis vote was 53.1% no and 46.1% yes &#8211; though this result may be subject to change when the special votes are counted.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-72p885-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i81\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-1jlqpzd-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">What has the reaction been?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The &#8220;yes&#8221; verdict had been anticipated after polls suggested strong public support for the law, which was also backed by Prime Minister Jacinda Ardern and the opposition leader, Judith Collins.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>But it was the result of an emotional, years-long campaign with strong views on both sides of the debate.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>For Matt Vickers, who took on his late wife Lecretia Seales&#8217; fight to legalise assisted dying, the result is &#8220;a victory for compassion and kindness&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;I am grateful that terminally ill New Zealanders will have a say about the ends of their lives,&#8221; he told the BBC after the announcement.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Ms Seales was a lawyer who launched a legal challenge for the right to end her life with medical assistance after she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. But her case was unsuccessful and she died of her illness five years ago, aged 42.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Mr Vickers pressed on with her campaign and in 2016 his book, &#8220;Lecretia&#8217;s Choice: A Story of Love, Death and the Law&#8221;, was published.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-r83t2i-ComponentWrapper e1xue1i80\" data-component=\"image-block\">\n<figure class=\"css-1759m9z-StyledFigure e34k3c20\">\n<div class=\"css-kwaqyc-StyledFigureContainer e34k3c22\"><span class=\"css-1hq4gmv-Placeholder e16icw910\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"css-evoj7m-Image ee0ct7c0\" src=\"https:\/\/c.files.bbci.co.uk\/E222\/production\/_115109875_mattandwife.jpg\" srcset=\"https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/240\/cpsprodpb\/E222\/production\/_115109875_mattandwife.jpg 240w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/320\/cpsprodpb\/E222\/production\/_115109875_mattandwife.jpg 320w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/480\/cpsprodpb\/E222\/production\/_115109875_mattandwife.jpg 480w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/624\/cpsprodpb\/E222\/production\/_115109875_mattandwife.jpg 624w, https:\/\/ichef.bbci.co.uk\/news\/800\/cpsprodpb\/E222\/production\/_115109875_mattandwife.jpg 800w\" alt=\"Mr Vickers speaking about assisted dying\" width=\"976\" height=\"549\" \/><\/span><\/div><figcaption class=\"css-1rnnz6t-StyledFigureCaption e34k3c21\">Mr Vickers has widely spoken and written about assisted dying since his late wife&#8217;s death (Imge: Matt Vickers)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>The day before the result Mr Vickers told the BBC that ultimately his late wife&#8217;s goal was for terminally ill people to have the choice that she was denied.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>&#8220;She didn&#8217;t want to die. No one does. That&#8217;s a popular misconception. The problem was the choice to live had been taken away,&#8221; he said. &#8220;She wanted a choice on how death happens so if things got bad she could end the suffering at the time she wanted.&#8221;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Ms Seales&#8217; case went on to play a pivotal role in raising awareness about assisted dying, catalysing New Zealand politicians to address the issue.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-72p885-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i81\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-1jlqpzd-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">What is the new law?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The End of Life Choice Act was passed by parliament in 2019 after years of heated parliamentary debate and a record number of public submissions.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<div class=\"css-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi3\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-asia-50408033\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">New Zealand to hold referendum on euthanasia<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>But there was a proviso that it would first be put to a referendum, only coming into force if more than 50% of voters ticked &#8220;yes&#8221;.<\/p>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>There are a number of criteria a person must meet to ask for assisted dying. These include:<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<div class=\"css-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi3\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li>suffering from a terminal illness that&#8217;s likely to end their life within six months<\/li>\n<li>showing a significant decline in physical capability<\/li>\n<li>being able to make an informed decision about assisted dying<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The legislation authorises a doctor or nurse to administer or prescribe a lethal dose of medication to be taken under their supervision if all the conditions are met.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The law also says a person cannot be eligible for assisted dying on the basis of advanced age, mental illness, or disability alone.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-72p885-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i81\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-1jlqpzd-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">What do opponents say?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>While there is widespread support for euthanasia reform, there has also been vocal opposition.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>As MPs voted on the bill last year, protesters had carried placards stating &#8220;assist us to live not die&#8221; and &#8220;euthanasia is not the solution&#8221; outside parliament.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Euthanasia-Free NZ, a group that campaigned to vote &#8220;no&#8221;, has said that euthanasia poses a threat to the well-being of society. Among its concerns are that the legalisation of assisted dying would contradict and undermine suicide prevention.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Others\u00a0<a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/theconversation.com\/assisted-dying-referendum-why-nzs-law-lacks-necessary-detail-to-make-a-fully-informed-decision-141776\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">have voiced worries about people with chronic conditions<\/a>\u00a0potentially feeling obliged to use euthanasia to avoid being a burden on their families.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>On Friday Euthanasia-Free NZ said it was &#8220;disappointed that the New Zealand public voted to pass a flawed euthanasia law&#8221;. In a statement it added that parliament &#8220;could have made this law safer&#8221; by passing further amendments.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-72p885-ComponentWrapper-CrossheadComponentWrapper e1xue1i81\" data-component=\"crosshead-block\">\n<h2 class=\"css-1jlqpzd-StyledHeading e1fj1fc10\">Which countries allow euthanasia?<\/h2>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>The referendum result in New Zealand will be closely watched by advocates for and against assisted dying throughout the world.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>By voting &#8220;yes&#8221; the country is joining a small group of nations and territories that have passed similar legislation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Euthanasia is legal in Belgium, Canada, Colombia, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, while assisted suicide is permitted in Switzerland.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>A number of states in the United States and the Australian state of Victoria have also made assisted dying legal.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p>Euthanasia is the act of deliberately ending a life to relieve suffering, while assisted suicide is the act of deliberately assisting another person to kill themselves. In contrast to euthanasia and assisted suicide, assisted dying would apply to terminally ill people only.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"css-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i82\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"css-83cqas-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi2\">\n<p><i class=\"css-po6dm6-ItalicText e5tfeyi1\">If you&#8217;ve been affected by issues in this article, help and support is available via the\u00a0<\/i><a class=\"css-yidnqd-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/actionline\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">BBC Action Line.<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-asia-54728717\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">New Zealand has voted to legalise euthanasia in what campaigners have called &#8220;a victory for compassion and kindness&#8221;. Preliminary results showed 65.2% of voters supported the End of Life Choice Act coming into force as <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2020\/10\/30\/new-zealand-euthanasia-assisted-dying-to-be-legal-for-terminally-ill-people\/\" title=\"New Zealand euthanasia: Assisted dying to be legal for terminally ill people\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":17770,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[2,6],"tags":[4241,7418,1266,2860],"class_list":{"0":"post-17769","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-news","8":"category-world","9":"tag-assisted-dying","10":"tag-end-of-life-choice-act","11":"tag-euthanasia","12":"tag-new-zealand","13":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17769","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=17769"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17769\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":17771,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/17769\/revisions\/17771"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/17770"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=17769"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=17769"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=17769"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}