http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2008/06/04/2264452.htm
Mixed reaction to living wills laws
Health Minister Jim McGinty says the laws will allow people to die with dignity (file photo) (ABC)
<!–
if (typeof showPhotos == ‘function’) showPhotos(’2264452-mediarss.xml’);
–>
There has been a mixed reaction to new laws which will allow people to refuse medical treatment if they become terminally ill.
The so-called living wills legislation, which allows people to specify how they wish to be treated in the event of terminal illness, passed the Upper House of State Parliament last night.
The WA Director of the Australian Christian Lobby, Michelle Pearse, says the legislation is flawed because it takes power away from doctors.
“Most of the time the patient isn’t aware what the end of life looks like so they don’t have the ability to make this kind of decision,’ she said.
However, the euthanasia campaigner Philip Nitschke supports the measures.
“It’s not up to the medical profession, it’s up to the individual, the adult rational Australian needs to be able to make these decisions,” he said.
The State Government will launch an advertising campaign to inform the public about living wills.
