Darwin Bishop Charles Gauci has raised his concerns that doctors and nurses in the Northern Territory will be coerced into referring their terminal patients to euthanasia providers, following the release of a major report. Source: NT News.
Bishop Gauci has promised to not run a “scare campaign” against future voluntary assisted dying (VAD) legislation, while advocating for clearer provisions for doctors morally opposed to assisted suicide.
Following the release of an independent expert report into VAD in the Northern Territory, Bishop Gauci has committed to “transparency and honesty” during debates over the divisive issue.
A report into the development of voluntary assisted dying laws in the Northern Territory, released on Wednesday, recommended the Government legalise the practice in line with other Australian jurisdictions.
According to ABC News, the report made 22 recommendations, including that the NT should implement legislation “broadly consistent” with laws in other Australian states and territories, and should develop and fund a “single, centralised service” for its delivery.
The Northern Territory is the only place in Australian without euthanasia legislation.
Bishop Gauci said the 14 months of consultation had produced a “thoughtful” report, but still held some reservations around the recommendations and warned against a “slippery slope” of eligibility.
“We feel it’s dangerous for a society to go down this track,” he said. “In the end people have to make up their own minds.”
His chief concern was that while health workers could opt-out of any VAD system, they were still required to refer their patients to providers who would assist them in accessing life-ending care pathways.
“There’s a cross-section of medical people that don’t feel comfortable with that (referral) and they still feel they are collaborating with VAD and violating their conscience,” Bishop Gauci said.
He said the recommendation “coerced” medical professionals to refer their patients, turning conscientious objectors into “collaborators” in the VAD system.
FULL STORY
Darwin Bishop Charles Gauci’s concerns over protections for Voluntary Assisted Dying conscientious objectors (By Zizi Averill, NT News)
Bishop Charles Gauci Responds to NT Voluntary Assisted Dying Report (Darwin Diocese)
Report recommends NT government legalise voluntary assisted dying, after months of consultation (By Oliver Chaseling, ABC News)
