Jack Kevorkian and Australian Euthanasia Law
Anthony Jordan
Lowdon 9:30
11/14/2012
Euthanasia means gentle or easy death for those who are incurably ill and in pain. So should a person have the right to take another person 's life or his own when he or she is incurably ill and in pain? That is Australia is trying to decide. The N.T already has passed a law that legalizes euthanasia in that state. Now other government leaders and members are in support of this are pushing for an Australian euthanasia law. Christian Groups and Anti-Euthanasia have seen euthanasia as a sin and a choice that no-body should make. Some doctors have taken ill patients life 's as a request from the patient should this now be openly done. Would you want to be kept alive, with little hope ahead, when you were in pain? Some might answer no, and those people should deserve the choice to end it when that pain becomes unbearable. On the 1996, the head of the Northern Territory (N.T.) chapter of the Australia Medical Association, Dr. Chris Wake, and Aboriginal leader Rev. Djiniynni Gondarra put forward the N.T. Euthanasia law. The law was later dismissed by the N.T. Supreme Court. After compromising in backrooms and through meetings the three major party leaders were able to come to a consensus, and a law was passed. Prime Minister John Howard disapproved of the law and said that he had no problem reconciling his views on federalism with his views on life and death by voting to overturn the law. Kevin Andrews, an Australian liberal politician, was strongly not in favor and with Howard 's support he introduced a bill overriding the N.T. law. When the smoke cleared from the debating within the N.T. and national government, it appeared the law was abolished and assisted suicide through euthanasia would remain illegal. Looking at this dispute within the government, it’s not crazy to see how the public opinion would also be very much contested. Maybe a referendum would have been appropriate, but still euthanasia would still occur illegal
Lowdon 9:30
11/14/2012
Euthanasia means gentle or easy death for those who are incurably ill and in pain. So should a person have the right to take another person 's life or his own when he or she is incurably ill and in pain? That is Australia is trying to decide. The N.T already has passed a law that legalizes euthanasia in that state. Now other government leaders and members are in support of this are pushing for an Australian euthanasia law. Christian Groups and Anti-Euthanasia have seen euthanasia as a sin and a choice that no-body should make. Some doctors have taken ill patients life 's as a request from the patient should this now be openly done. Would you want to be kept alive, with little hope ahead, when you were in pain? Some might answer no, and those people should deserve the choice to end it when that pain becomes unbearable. On the 1996, the head of the Northern Territory (N.T.) chapter of the Australia Medical Association, Dr. Chris Wake, and Aboriginal leader Rev. Djiniynni Gondarra put forward the N.T. Euthanasia law. The law was later dismissed by the N.T. Supreme Court. After compromising in backrooms and through meetings the three major party leaders were able to come to a consensus, and a law was passed. Prime Minister John Howard disapproved of the law and said that he had no problem reconciling his views on federalism with his views on life and death by voting to overturn the law. Kevin Andrews, an Australian liberal politician, was strongly not in favor and with Howard 's support he introduced a bill overriding the N.T. law. When the smoke cleared from the debating within the N.T. and national government, it appeared the law was abolished and assisted suicide through euthanasia would remain illegal. Looking at this dispute within the government, it’s not crazy to see how the public opinion would also be very much contested. Maybe a referendum would have been appropriate, but still euthanasia would still occur illegal
Cited: Court, Andy. "The Cost of Dying." CBSNews. CBS Interactive, 03 Dec. 2010. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. . Fox, Kristina. "Euthanasia, the Unresolved Issue: The Ongoing Debate in Australia - Criminal Law - Australia." Euthanasia, the Unresolved Issue: The Ongoing Debate in Australia - Criminal Law - Australia. Monaq, 7 Apr. 2012. Web. 15 Nov. 2012. . McCrindle, Mark. "Spirituality and Christianity in Australia Today." McCrindle. N.p., 5 Apr. 2012. Web. 14 Nov. 2012. . Simon, Mallory. "08:49 AM ET Dr. Jack Kevorkian Dead at 83." This Just In RSS. CNN Blogs, 3 June 2011. Web. 20 Nov. 2012. .