NZ Elections: Referendum: End of Life Choice Act.

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Research shows that only 33% of Kiwis know there is a referendum. Frighteningly, even fewer know what is in this poorly constructed Act. –riskylaw.nz/about-us

 

Vote No

On September 19 you will be asked to choose “YES” or “NO” to this End of Life Choice Act.

Risky Law has an informative website containing personal stories, medical, ethical and legal issues and information to help you make this choice.  They want to educate you about the dangers of this Bill.

It is made up of 22 members who are professionally qualified in medicine, hospice and palliative care, nursing, law, disability, ethics, advocacy, and social policy. This organisation is not aligned to other religious, civic or professional organisations. – riskylaw.nz

 

5. Meaning of person who is eligible for assisted dying or eligible person

In this Act, person who is eligible for assisted dying or eligible person means a person who—is aged 18 years or over; and is—a person who has New Zealand citizenship as provided in the Citizenship Act 1977; or a permanent resident as defined in section 4 of the Immigration Act 2009; and suffers from a terminal illness that is likely to end the person’s life within 6 months; and is in an advanced state of irreversible decline in physical capability; and experiences unbearable suffering that cannot be relieved in a manner that the person considers tolerable; and is competent to make an informed decision about assisted dying. – parliament.nz=end+of+life+choice+act

 

Most Drs in New Zealand  Oppose this Act

We need to listen to what our Medical experts are saying. It is easy to get caught up in the emotion of people in pain begging us to kill them to put them out of their misery. All people in NZ have the opportunity to receive the best care at the end of their lives. The problem is many do not know where to find or access this care. I am a retired Registered Nurse, and spent the last years of my career in palliative care of the dying in their own homes. All people in New Zealand can have access to palliative care in their own home, residential care or hospital. This can be accessed through a Hospice, Dr or Public Health Nurse. During the last 72 hours of life everyone in NZ is eligible to have a registered nurse take care of them, free of cost, in their own home. They can also pay for extended nursing care if they need this in their own home.

98% of palliative care professionals and most doctors are opposed to this Act because it changes their profession from being preservers-of-life to enders-of-life. Doctors and nurses believe the compassionate thing is not to kill their patients but to make them comfortable and peaceful until death occurs naturally  – 

The Vulnerable are at Risk

No one wants to be a burden. Being ill, old, disabled or dependent can create feelings of guilt and worthlessness. This is exactly the time you need protection, love and care. Instead, this Act places the vulnerable at risk of pressure and coercion by their own feelings of being a burden, or from uncaring or greedy relatives. – riskylaw.nz

End of Life Choice Bill

You can read the entire contents of the Bill – parliament.nz=end+of+life+choice+act

See No 19 of this Bill below:

19 Provisional arrangements for administration of medication

(1)

This section applies after the attending medical practitioner complies with section 18(2).

(2)

Before the date chosen by an eligible person for the administration of the medication, the attending medical practitioner must—

(a)

advise the person about the following methods for the administration of the medication:

(i)

ingestion, triggered by the person:

(ii)

intravenous delivery, triggered by the person:

(iii)

ingestion through a tube, triggered by the attending medical practitioner or an attending nurse practitioner:

(iv)

injection administered by the attending medical practitioner or an attending nurse practitioner; and

(b)

ask the person to choose one of the methods; and

(c)

ensure that the person knows that they can decide, at any time before the administration of the medication, not to receive the medication or to receive the medication at a time on a later date that is not more than 6 months after the date initially chosen for the administration of the medication; and

(d)

make provisional arrangements for the administration of the medication on the chosen day and time.

(3)

At least 48 hours before the chosen time for the administration of the medication, the attending medical practitioner, or an attending nurse practitioner, must—

(a)

write the appropriate prescription for the eligible person; and

(b)

advise the Registrar of the method and of the date and time chosen for the administration of the medication.

(4)

The Registrar must check that the processes in sections 11 to 18 have been complied with.

(5)

If the Registrar is satisfied that the processes in sections 11 to 18 have been complied with, the Registrar must notify the attending medical practitioner accordingly.

References

parliament.nz=end+of+life+choice+act

riskylaw.nz

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